Appetite for Death
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: STORY COMPLETE! As Nick struggles to survive the rest of team race to keep Brass alive and find the clues to stop the madman who has them all in his grip. But will they save Nick in time? NS GC GOC.
1. The Last Supper

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 1 – The Last Supper  
****Rating:** Rated PG-13 (warning some violent parts)  
**Series:** CSI  
**Author:** Andorian Ice Princess  
**Summary:** The team investigates a series of seemingly unrelated deaths until one of them makes a startling discovery that puts them in the killer's sights. Will the team lose one of their own? N/S G/C … Mostly a Nick/Sara pairing story…  
**Disclaimer: **This story is written for fun and not for profit. All characters except the CSI cast and supporting crew belong to me and my twisted imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.  
**PS:** In my story they are all still a team…not split into two shifts like they have on the show now!

**Diva's Dining Lounge, 9:15pm**

"I just can't believe the service here."

"Harold please keep your voice down," his wife hissed.

"Margaret I am paying good money to…"

"Is there a problem here sir?"

"Yes _waiter_ there is!" Harold snapped. "We have been waiting for well over an hour for our meal and…"

"But sir we are quite busy tonight and…"

"Do you know _who_ I am?" Harold sneered at the impatient looking waiter before him.

"Sir if you'll just…" the young man stammered.

"If our meal's aren't here…"

"Is there a problem here Carlos?"

"Yes sir there is," Carlos mumbled.

"You sure as hell better be management," Harold's angry voice boomed loudly.

"Yes I am. Cedric White at your service. Your meal is on its way. I am sorry for the delay but we had the _mayor's party_ in here and they come first. There will be no charge."

"Better," Harold snided as he noticed a few frantic servers heading their way.

"Oh do _enjoy_," Cedric quipped as he turned on his polished heel and headed back into the kitchen, his face an angry frown as he neared the wooded swinging doors.

"You see dear, there _was_ a good explanation," Margaret sighed as she noticed the stares staring to turn back to their meals and away from the couple that caused the distraction. One pair in particular though continued to watch with intense fascination; the way a child does when it knows it has just done something bad and is now waiting for it all to fall into place.

"I don't give a damn!" Harold huffed as he started into his meal.

About an hour later he grabbed his jacket, rolled his dress shirt sleeves back down and started to follow his wife out to their luxury car.

"Dear you look a little flushed, are you sure you should be driving?" Margaret asked in concern.

"I am fine," Harold snapped. "I am just a bit worked up about tonight," he added with a heavy sigh. "Sorry for snapping," he finished as he pulled his car out of the parking lot and headed for the highway. 10 minutes into the drive Harold knew something was very wrong.

"I don't feel so well," he started with a slight wheeze as he felt his body temperature starting to rise.

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked in alarm.

"I think I need…"

* * *

"Any time now," a sinister voice growled in a low tone, eyeing a chilling glass of champagne. "This makes how many now…." the voice rattled off with an evil laugh. "Just a few more to go…"

* * *

"Harold I think you should…" Margaret let out a gasp as Harold swerved once more; this time narrowly missing another oncoming car.

"I think that meal was the last supper that…" were the last words Harold Evans would ever speak. He tried to steer his speeding BMW away from an on-coming semi-trailer but ending up clipping the big rig's back tires, causing the truck to slam on its breaks and the BMW to flip over onto its side and go shooting off the highway into the black of night. All that was heard was screeching tires, heavy cursing, wicked laughter, blood-curdling screams and then silence.

* * *

"Man I swear if I look at one more sample of moss my eyes are going to cross," Nick moaned as he pushed himself back from the desk and started to rub his weary eyes. "We need more sunlight in here." 

"It's night time Nick," Sara mused as she looked at him with a wry smile.

"I know that," Nick shot back with a playful smile. "Just tired of staring at moss."

"Well I tell you what next time someone dies we can put in a request for no moss," Sara teased.

"Funny," Nick responded in a dry tone. He held Sara's gaze a little longer but then watched in disappointment as she quickly turned back to her work. With a growing frown, he reluctantly did the same. He was aware of the attraction growing every day between them, but was never sure where he stood with Sara. She was always so confident and sure of herself when it came to her work, but she really distanced herself when it came to any kind of relationship. Maybe it's me, Nick wondered inside? He knew there were always guys tossing stories around about his wild ways with women, and he always tried to defend himself by saying it was in the past and he was different now, more mature. But sadly inside he feared she didn't believe any thing he said in his defence. With a huff he turned his gaze back to the microscope before him and tried to turn his mind to something other than the attractive woman sitting beside him.

What is wrong with me, Sara scolded herself inside? Why can't I bring myself to make _small talk_ with him? I mean I know how to make small talk, don't I? Sara glanced side-ways a Nick and quickly turned back when she felt her cheeks slightly flush once more. Just the sight of how his muscled body hugged his shirt was enough to send little sparks from her brain to the rest of her whole being. Damn him, she lightly laughed, this time causing him to look over at her with an amused smile.

"Oh you have to share that laugh," he trapped her. "It's just too mysterious for this setting."

"I uh…it was nothing," she said in a cool tone, a mild smile still on her lips. "Just thinking of…_moss_."

"Moss? Really?" He questioned.

"Yes," she countered.

"Lucky moss," he stated before looking back down.

Sara turned back to her work and let out a small sigh. It was going to be a long night indeed. "We need something fresh to work on," she mumbled to them.

"Careful what you wish for," Nick mused back.

* * *

"What have we got?" Brass called out to one of the officers as he headed towards the now burning wreck of twisted metal.

"A real mess," seasoned veteran detective Vartaan started. "Truck driver says the car just swerved towards him, clipped his tail and then rolled and crashed into that wooden fence. I think the driver is already dead, but the fire is preventing us from getting to the other passenger. Witnesses said they heard screams but were unable to get to them…the driver tried a bit with a small fire extinguisher from his truck but by the time he got to the car he said it was too late."

"Damn it!" Brass cursed as he watched the fire crews trying to get the flaming fuels under control. "Have we ID'd the car?"

"We have," the officer huffed. "Sir you aren't going to like this," he said showing Brass the name.

"You can say that again," he growled as he pulled out his phone. "Grissom, we have a bad one. I need your team _now_."

* * *

"What is it? I know that look," Catherine mused as she watched Grissom hang up the phone in a huff. 

"We got a bad one this time Cath, Harold Evans was killed tonight. And Margaret too."

"What? How?" Catherine asked in horror.

"Brass is there right now, but he said a witness told them the car appeared to swerve towards a big rig, clip it and then crash and burn in a field. The fire crew is just putting the flames out now."

"Oh god," Catherine replied in remorse. "The press will have a field day with this one," Catherine sighed as she pushed herself from her chair. "And won't Brass have fun with the motive."

"Why? Who would _want_ to kill a congressman?" Grissom quipped as he stood up to join her.

"Yeah who…" her voice trailed off as she headed into the hallway and then for the lab.

Grissom watched her go and then turned back to the paperwork before him with a sigh. "I guess these reports can wait," he said hurrying after her. "This is going to be a long night."

* * *

"I wonder if I made the news," a low smug voice asked to this lonely dwelling, reaching a long arm for the TV and flipping it on. He manually turned the dial to the local channel and the rested his weary body in the dusty armchair a few feet from the box. 

"I did…I did…" he exclaimed in glee.

_'Reporting live from a horrific crash scene just outside the city limits of Las Vegas, this is…'_

"_Mamma _would be proud," he chided as he turned down the TV volume and looked at the clock. "Anytime now the experts will be arriving on the scene. I wonder if they are better there than they were in…"

* * *

"Let's go. We got a bad one," Grissom called out to Sara and Nick as he rushed past their open lab and into another room. 

"Is he serious?" Sara wondered.

"Remember you _wanted_ something more exciting," Nick teased as he stood up and grabbed his CSI jacket.

"I did," Sara responded in a somewhat glum tone. "I think I regret those words now."

Nick just flashed her a smile as he tossed her her CSI jacket and then headed for his evidence gathering bag. "I'll drive," he said grabbing the keys.

"You drove last time," Sara called out as she rushed after him.

"You keep track?" Nick asked in surprise.

"Doesn't everyone?" She smiled as she grabbed the keys from him and headed for the driver's seat.

Nick just smiled in amusement as he got into the truck and they headed for the scene. "I wonder how bad it is?"

"Well Grissom didn't say much but then again he hardly does at the beginning."

"Very true," Nick added.

They drove on for a bit longer in very uncomfortable silence until Nick just couldn't take it any longer and had to try something…anything…

"So what are you doing this weekend?" Nick asked, trying to sound casual.

"I am…I am busy," she replied, not really wanting to tell him what she was up to. Nick, she knew was used to women of action, who had exciting and sexy lives; hers was not.

"Sara…" Nick pressed. "I am doing nothing much, just some clean up around my place. Maybe hit the antique fair."

"What? You go to the antique fair?" Sara asked in genuine surprise.

"Yes," Nick quickly answered. "I like…well I really like antique furniture. Used to get some really old amazing pieces, strip them to their natural wood and then either re-paint or stain them. Kind of a hobby I guess."

"Cool," was all Sara could manage; her brain still trying to wonder why a guy as exciting as Nick could ever do something so…so homey? "Book fair," she finally admitted.

"What?"

"I am going to the book fair," she told him, trying not to sound too lamely.

"That's kinda…"

"Nerdy?" She shot back.

"I was going to say _interesting_," Nick replied.

"Oh sorry," Sara huffed.

"Sara relax, I am just trying to make small talk, not like I am asking you to marry me or something," he finished with a laugh.

Sara tried to brush it off but then inwardly cursed Nick for letting her brain play with the idea of what if Nick really did _want_ to propose. She knew it would never happen in her lifetime but still she couldn't help but wonder how she would feel. Probably more nervous than I am now.

"Looking for anything in particular?" Nick asked, breaking her from her morbid silence.

"Pardon?" Sara managed weakly, her mind still on his last statement.

"The books…are you looking for…" he teased.

"There are a few books by…" their friendly banter continued until they reached the crash/death scene and then things turned serious. But if they both stopped to analyse what just happened they would have to accept that although it was small, the small conversation they had was indeed a breath through. It should have been easier after that. Should have…

* * *

"What a mess," Warrick mentioned as he walked up to Brass and Grissom. "Is it even ready for inspection by us?" 

"It is now," Grissom said as the fire crew walked past them, giving them the thumbs up that they could now approached the badly burnt luxury car.

"Won't it be too hot to touch?" Greg asked.

"Well we need to get anything we can before the heat melts it all," Grissom sighed.

"Who died?" Greg asked softly.

"Harold and Margaret Evans," Grissom responded.

"Congressman Evans?" Nick asked in interest.

"Know him? Well my mother's legal team used to work on some of the same issues with him back in Texas. I know him by name only."

"What happened to Margaret?" Catherine dared to ask as Sara and Nick approached.

"She burned to death," Brass told them.

"Alive?" Greg asked softly.

"Would appear so," Brass replied stonily. "I have my team contacting their daughter and heading to their home and…"

"I want a time line not only for tonight, but the past few days," Grissom told Brass. "His death catalyst might not have been tonight or this car wreck."

"I am _aware _of that," Brass stated as he looked at Grissom squarely. "Harold Evans might have stepped on a few toes Gil, but he was a friend and I want this killer brought down and fast."

"How do you know he was _murdered_?" Catherine asked softly.

"Because he wouldn't kill himself," Brass remarked.

"We'll know more when we take a look at that car. The medical examiners crew is carefully extracting the bodies now so we have a few minutes."

"Never seen him this hot before," Catherine mentioned as Brass walked back to his team.

"Never been a friend die like _this _before," Grissom countered. "But _if_ it is murder, then you'll see a side of him that even I don't want to talk about."

"Nice," Catherine mumbled to herself as she watched the two black body bags go past them.

"Let's get to work," Grissom called out to his team as he turned and looked a rather pale looking Greg. "Greg you and Warrick start with the truck driver and try to get the trajectory path from the car on the road until it rested here." Grissom knew that with Greg's minor field experience, eyeing and working on two charred bodies, especially one still alive when it died, would be hard on the young man.

"Nick, Sara," Grissom called out. "I want you two to start on the passenger side. We'll take the drivers side. This place is two messy and too hot right now to wait on just one team."

"What a way to go," Nick remarked as they headed for the charred remains of the late Margaret Evans as the medical crew zipped close the black body bag.

"Can't imagine being alive, burning to death and not being able to get out," Sara added in a remorseful tone. "I wonder what her last thoughts were."

"Hopefully her body was in such shock that her brain didn't know what was happening, but somehow I think she might have been fully aware of the situation," Nick told her fatefully. "What kind of sicko would…"

"I don't get why everyone is jumping to conclusions about the motive. Maybe he just had too much to drink and…"

"Because Harold Evans didn't drink nor did he drive recklessly," Brass told her in a stern tone. "Gil and I know him very well, this doesn't fit his pattern. If anyone was a careful driver it was Harry. This was no accident!"

"Sorry," Sara answered quickly.

"And no one has jumped to any conclusion just yet," Grissom piped up. "We have to investigate _all_ angles. Just we know him, and reckless driving isn't something he would just do for no reason. Hence a motive."

"Right," Sara replied in a flat tone.

"Come on let's get busy. Forget about it," Nick told her in a reassuring tone. "This one is obviously very personal to them and no matter what he say we could be in the wrong."

Sara simply nodded her head and then turned her eyes to the blackened body in the car before her. She watched as the medical examiners crew started to carefully load the bodies for transport back to Dr. Robbins and then finally it was time to go to work.

Nick was aware of the small space they all had to work on and was very aware every time Sara's arm or leg would brush up against his; his brain would go nuts. He studied the intent look on her face and wondered at the time what she was thinking. He always wondered that because she was so hard to read. She put up a very hard cool exterior but every once and a while she would break down that wall for a few seconds and show him a bit of the real her. That he needed to do more of; get her to open up. But how?

Sara tried to keep her mind on the task at hand; trying to find clues on the passenger side to see if anything contributed to the erratic behaviour of the vehicle to cause such an untimely death and accident. She felt Nick's warm breath on the back of her neck when she went to pick something up and cursed herself for wanting him to be closer. Finally Grissom went back to talk to Brass and Catherine had gathered up what she needed and they were left to wrap things up.

Nick headed around to the front of the car to take some pictures and gather some soil samples while Sara finished up with the rest of the car.

"This is going to be a fun night," she mentioned; mostly to herself.

"Well you did ask for something more _exciting_," Nick piped up, making her look up instantly.

"I did didn't I," she replied with a frown. "Karma?"

"Better hope not," he smiled, forcing her to relax a bit and smile back. "Come on let's finish up here. I think Warrick and Greg have a bit to go yet."

* * *

"You okay? You were pretty quiet the whole time we were talking to that truck driver," Warrick told Greg as they headed 

"Just thinking about what Grissom and Brass said, about that woman. She was burned alive. I mean if it was intentional then…"

"Well hopefully it wasn't intentional and that it was an accident," Warrick sighed.

"But what if…"

"Greg if we dwelt on all the _what if's_ we'd go insane. Let's just focus on getting the rest of the accident path mapped out and go from there."

"Got it," Greg replied with a forced smile. He knew the images he saw of the burnt bodies being extracted from the wrecked car would haunt his dreams for days to come.

* * *

"What have we got here?" Dr. Robbins sighed as he watched the two black body bags slowly being wheeled into his lab some time later. 

"Two car fire victims. A big rig truck driver had a small fire extinguisher but not enough to save them. Personal friend of Brass and he said to examine everything because he doesn't think it was an accident."

"Well at least their insides will be intact," he quipped in sarcasm. "Sorry but after this long it's hard not to let one slide."

The young attendant just shook his head and left the older man with the two victims. "It's going to be a long night," Robbins sighed as he got started.

* * *

"What a way to go," Sara mused softly as leaned her head against the window and stared into the night in misery. 

"Still thinking about that?" Nick asked in concern.

"Well I know it's obviously easy for you _I'm the objective not sensitive one of the group_ over there," Sara snapped back.

"Sara…"

"I mean Nick you know them…"

"Know _of_ them…I don't know them personally and I have to remain…" Nick tried again.

"I just can't throw that sight away as easily as you. I can't just remove myself as…"

"Easy there," Nick warned lightly. "I know it might seem cold for me to say that you can't do anything about it now so…" he was about to continue but quickly stopped when he noticed Sara's morbid expression. "It's very sad."

"That's it? Two people burned to death and you say _it's sad_?" Sara pushed angrily.

Nick stared at Sara and then felt himself steering the car to the side of the road and stopping. "Get out," he instructed.

"What?" Sara asked in shock as she followed him to the side of the truck.

"Now whatever you are feeling you will feel better if you just yell at the air instead of me," Nick told her.

"You have got to be kiddi…"

"Sara trust me. I don't want to seem like an insensitive jerk around you and this obviously affects you more than me so just…"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE WOULD DO THAT TO THEM!" She turned and yelled to the side of him. "IT'S SICKENING!"

* * *

"Oh I just can't get enough," the evil voice laughed triumphantly. "Mother always said I had an insatiable appetite. Little did she know. I wonder who I'll be pitted against this time…who will I go up against this time? I hope it's someone personal…will make their demise that much sweeter."

* * *

Nick watched with slight amusement and then quickly hide his smile as she turned back to him. "Better?" 

"Sadly yes. How did you know it would help?"

"Helped me my first year. Don't worry I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you," she remarked with a slight smile as they both got into the truck. She really admired how Nick had the strength to view things objectively; whereas she always got emotionally involved. "I wish I was like you more," she mentioned as they headed back for the lab.

"You mean _cold and insensitive_?" Nick teased.

"Objective and sensible," Sara corrected him.

"Practise I guess," he responded. "I just can't let myself work to solve a case if I get my mind in a whirl. I mean I could start thinking, _my parents are pretty important what if someone killed them like that?_ I would go insane and would get nothing done. I know it seems unfeeling of me to just view them as bodies of evidence but sadly…"

"It's what you must," she answered for him; understanding his way of thinking on this matter for the first time. "Never thought of it that way."

"Just always thought I was insensitive?" Nick teased again.

"I never said that," Sara shot back in a kind way. "I was…"

"Sara it's okay. You think I haven't gone through life without hearing a _few_ things. Right?"

"Yeah I suppose I know what they say about me as well," Sara sighed.

"Brilliant and beautiful?" Nick told her seriously as he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the lab.

Sara looked at him in shock before returning his warm smile. She didn't have to say anything; no words were needed at that moment. They both exited the truck and headed into the lab in silence. There were no words that would have added to that one special moment. At least not yet.

* * *

"So what have we got?" Brass asked as he walked up the steps to the Evans estate. 

"You wanted the timeline for the last few days?"

"I did. Where's Vartaan?"

"Wrapping it up now," the veteran detective told him as he walked up to Brass. "Apparently the last five nights they have eaten out at three different restaurants. If someone there had a vendetta…"

"Then it will be hell to trace," Brass sighed. "Let's start with the kitchen and management staff at each of those restaurants."

"Already on it," Vartaan said as he turned and headed back to a small group of uniformed officers. "Okay I want…"

Brass watched him leave and then turned and headed into his friends house. "Talk to me Harry," Brass mumbled angrily as he pulled out his flashlight. "I know you didn't do this to yourself…tell me what I am not seeing. _Who _did this to you?"

* * *

"I wonder what the crime scene team is like here? Wonder if they are as blind as the last team? Probably," he laughed heartily into the dank air around him. "Oh the taste of victory!"

* * *

"Lucky Robbins gets to look at…" Nick started and then quickly stopped. "Sorry," he said in haste, noticing Sara's look of discomfort. 

"Please Nick don't think you have to walk on eggshells around me because of this. I am a big girl and I am a professional."

"I know," Nick smiled back. "I just don't want there to be any awkward silence between us while we work because of me saying something that…" he was about to continue when Sara's hand gently touched his arm, stopping him mid sentence.

"I said it was okay," she assured him. "Let's just get started?" She asked, quickly pulling her arm back; much to quickly for his liking.

"Sure," Nick simply nodded his head in agreement. She didn't realize it but that simple touch meant a lot to him. He finally made her show some kind of emotion; a spark; a passion inside her. And as sad as he was at the situation he was actually happy it had brought her to life in a small way. He hoped it would last and knew inside he had to be the one to keep it going. But how?

Sara quickly turned and headed back to her table to get started examining th evidence she had gathered. She was aware of how her skin had instantly warmed as it lingered on Nick's bare arm and knew she had to be the one to pull away fast. She was starting to show too much of herself to him; starting to realize he was getting her to let her guard down. That, she told herself, was very dangerous. Nick, she surmised was just looking for his next conquest. She decided that she needed to keep her guard up at work and not let anyone see the _real_ emotional side of her; but sadly the longer she worked with Nick the more she knew he would slowly wear her down until she _wanted_ to open up. She feared that more than anything. For being open meant being vulnerable; and being vulnerable spelt certain doom. Just business from now on.

* * *

"Okay let's begin…" Dr. Robbins said into his tape recorder as he started to work on the charred body of Harold Evans. Death should have been obvious, but because Brass was as friend and suspected something other than just death by reckless driving he knew he had to perform well on this one. Trouble was he didn't believe anything other than trauma and death by asphyxiation were the cause. 

"But I have been wrong before…" he quipped as he started to cut. "Or maybe I haven't…" he let out with a gasp, eyeing the insides of Harold Evans. About an hour later, he turned to an orderly with an angry and confused expression. "Get Grissom down here now…we have a serious problem."

He turned back to the body and instantly felt sick at the sight before him. "Oh…my…God…this is bad…"

Dear readers: I hope you like my new story and leave a little review if you like it and want some more. Thanks so much!


	2. Too Many Questions

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death**

**Chapter 2 – Too Many Questions **

**A/N: **Yes I had to take a break b/c I had broken my arm. I missed writing and am now back trying. Hope you all like the story so far and will keep reviewing to show your interest and support. Means more than you'll know as I recover – best therapy for me right now! Love you all!  
**NOTE: **if some of you are new to my stories please remember I am NOT American and therefore words that look wrong to you are right in my dictionary. I do spell check so please don't say spelling is wrong unless of course it's obvious! lol.  
**PS:** Nick better not be the one to be "offed" in the season finale!

Greg slowly walked into the lab in a somber state. Images of the two dead people trapped in their car haunting him every second.

"Why don't you take a quick break before you begin man," Warrick told him firmly. "There is no way you'll be able to concentrate if you don't."

"I can't take a break now. Grissom would have my ass," Greg hissed under his breath, cursing himself inwardly for appearing so weak.

"Give what's her name a call," Warrick teased as he walked away to begin his own examinations.

Greg let out a huff but decided to take Warrick's advice as he neared his small office. He quickly dialed the phone and was happy when a friendly female voice answered.

"Greg?"

"Chloe," Greg sighed. "I just needed to hear a friendly voice.

"You okay? What happened?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Wow busy guy," Nick remarked as he looked a piece of paper in his hands that just came through the fax.

"Evans daily schedule?" Sara asked without looking up.

"Yes and I feel sorry for Brass and his team. It would be hell to try to interview all these places and…"

"But at least _we_ don't have to," Sara quipped.

"Oh was that a snide comment Ms. Sidle?" Nick teased. "You making light of this grave situation?" He continued in a mock teasing voice.

"I was just…" she rushed in her defense, looking up finally and noticing the smile on his face. "Well I'm right aren't I?"

"Never more," he said putting the paper down and letting the rest come through. "I wonder what Doc Robbins found when he put in the call for Grissom to see him urgently."

"Really when?"

"_Grissom only_. Dr. Robbins orders."

"When?" Sara demanded once again.

"Just a few minutes ago," Nick shrugged. "After an hour he must have _something_ and I guess it's…."

"And you aren't curious as to…" she started but not letting herself finish as she pushed herself off her chair and was out the door.

"Well wait for me," Nick called out as he rushed after her.

"Where's the fire?" Warrick mentioned as Nick pushed past him and headed for the stairs.

"Come and find out," Nick told him before he disappeared between two swinging doors.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Masks!" Dr. Robbins called out as Catherine and Grissom pulled the doors to the examining room open.

"What a mess," Catherine commented as she quickly donned her mask and then her and Grissom neared one of the examining tables that Dr. Robbins was working on.

"Smells too," Grissom added.

"Small precaution for the masks," Dr. Robbins told them.

"What's this all about?" Grissom questioned. "What did you find that requires these?"

"Wait till you see what it looks like," Dr. Robbins replied with a huff as the two senior investigators neared.

"Better wait for us," Sara called out as she pushed her way through the doors and grabbed her own mask, donning it as she neared the small group; Nick and Warrick doing the same.

"I thought you were…" Grissom started and then stopped when Nick and Warrick came through the doors. "I thought you _all_ were doing your jobs."

"We are," Nick smartly answered. "Why should _you two_ be the only ones to get all the fun stuff?"

Grissom was about to say something but then decided against it. Instead he turned to the senior medical examiner and gave him a simple nod.

"We don't have much yet," Dr. Robbins told them.

"We just want to know what we have," Warrick commented.

"What killed them?" Grissom asked Dr. Robbins.

"Margaret I haven't gotten to yet, but take a look at _his_ insides," he said pulling out a piece of flesh and holding it up for them all to see.

"Nice," Catherine mumbled in sarcasm.

"Why do most of them look like liquid jello?" Nick asked in concern.

"And why do they look that odd colour?" Sara questioned.

"Is it contagious?" Warrick wondered.

"See why I _don't_ like an audience," Robbins sighed at Grissom.

"Which is why we didn't call you all down yet," Grissom relayed the message to his younger team.

"Sorry," Warrick replied for them all.

"Is it airborne?" Sara wondered.

"We'll know more when we look at Margaret, but if it is then we better pray the masks are with defect," Robbins sighed heavily. "But we can rule out death by any blunt force trauma. When the car made its impact this man was already dead."

"But from what?" Catherine asked.

"Well not smoke inhalation because his lungs and surrounding lung tissue are in tact and the car didn't catch fire until _after_ it crashed into the fence. He was dead before then. See how the blood has coagulated in these veins, his brain had stopped receiving oxygen from his blood before the fire. Now I can't see any marks on the outside of the body because of all the 3rd degree burn damage but it's safe to say he didn't have anything happen to the outside of him while he was alive."

"That we know about," Sara mentioned dryly.

"Well Brass's report will hopefully corroborate that Doc," Warrick mentioned.

"Was he poisoned?" Nick ventured.

"Well his body was introduced to a foreign substance that caused his organs to do this. Obviously not natural; but we have only been working on him for an hour. Who knows what we'll find yet," Robbins emphasized, letting them all know he was still early on in his examination. "It would appear he did take in some kind of bacterial or viral agent that could cause his organs todecay to the extent they have."

"Did he ingest it?" Catherine asked, mostly to herself.

"Don't know yet," Dr. Robbins replied.

"But the only known agent that can cause this kind of damage in such short time is an Ebola strain and he would _have_ to have been showing outward symptoms earlier on in the evening of some kind. He should have been in a hospital in his condition," Sara told them.

"_Known_," Grissom echoed.

"What?" Nick asked.

"Ebola is the only _known_ viral agent that can do this," Grissom replied; his eyes still fixed intently on the dead body before him. "Besides this _isn't_ Ebola. Ebola totally liquefies all inner organs. This bug has some how mutated them into a jelly like substance."

"Maybe the liquification was coming," Nick added.

"Comforting," Sara mused in sarcasm.

"How could he have just had dinner, and then a few hours later be in this condition without showing outward symptoms?" Warrick pondered.

"Maybe he _was_ showing outward symptoms," Catherine piped up. "But perhaps the only person he told them to was his wife."

"But if it was an Ebola strain then he would have been showing symptoms that everyone could have seen," Sara piped up. "I mean they are pretty gross and pretty obvious."

"Well whatever the hell it is it sure looks evil," Dr. Robbins mentioned. "His system had no chance."

"I think we have a _new_ bug. One with an Insatiable Appetite for Death," Grissom told them.

"But _how_ did he get it?" Sara asked.

"And from _where_?" Nick was next.

"Or from _who_?" Warrick added.

"And _why_?" Catherine questioned.

"We have far too many questions and we need to start with some answers," Grissom told them; looking directly at Dr. Robbins. "We'll leave you to finish but I think urgency plays a big part in this case."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

They all exchanged worried glances as they headed back to their already started tasks. Grissom already on the phone to Brass to ask for the list of restaurants he ate at and the name of the family physician.

"Man I thought they looked bad on the outside," Warrick mused as they headed back into the lab area.

"Who?" Catherine questioned.

"The Evans. I mean they were covered with 3rd degree burns and…" his voice trailed off.

Nick noticed the sordid look on Sara's face and knew she was still thinking about what happened to the Evans couple. They needed to get a break from the lab and focus on another part of the case at hand. But what? He couldn't just make something up.

"Grissom," he answered his phone as they stopped in front of the lab. "You have a list of the restaurants he ate at this past week? I'll get someone here to…"

"Sara and I will take it," Nick piped up in haste. Sara looked at him in surprise and then at Grissom with a small shrug of approval.

"Brass I'm sending Nick and Sara to meet with you at the Evans estate," he said hanging up. "Check their canned food as well. Look for things that are exotic, maybe imported or unusual then get over to the resturants. Warrick get started on the samples and get Nick's and Sara's to Greg and tell him to double time the results back to us then. Catherine and I are going to keep working with Dr. Robbins and we'll also start looking for other cases with the same MO in the last month or so."

"Surely this would have made the news or something," Catherine said with a slight frown. "Unless this is the first case?"

"Or it can cover its tracks well," Grissom ventured.

"Who the bug or its host?"

"Both."

"Great," Catherine sighed. "Well whoever found this bug is either a lunatic or a genius."

"Is there a difference?" Grissom retorted as he headed into his office ahead of her.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"They will never understand," the voice mused in morbidity as its beady eyes stared at the TV. "They'll never know the _reason_ we must make the world hear our voice. Never understand that we really do _care_ about them all. Well most of them all. _You_ we didn't care about," the voice spat angrily as the TV flashed a picture of the late Congressman Evans and his wife. "_You_ had to pay for your sins. Mamma warned you…I warned you…I warned you all! But you will pay…in the end you _all_ will pay. You and your _friends._"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Warrick continued to work on the car's trajectory and road samples while Nick and Sara headed their CSI truck into the area that housed the multi-million dollar estates.

"Must be nice to have a lot of money," Nick muttered under his breath as they headed into the Evans parkway.

"Didn't save them in the end," Sara replied prophetically.

Nick looked at her and offered only a sideways smile.

"Why did you volunteer us so fast for this assignment?" Sara wondered.

"Because you looked like you couldn't take another minute being around all the comments about the Evans," Nick replied.

"You did this for _me_?" Sara questioned in shock.

"Sara, you are my friend and I can tell this case really upsets you. Besides someone had to do this right?" He asked, flashing that killer smile of his to her.

Like I could disagree with that smile, she sighed inwardly. "Right," she resigned as they got out of the truck and headed for Brass.

"Not much in the fridge or kitchen but it's all yours," Brass told them. "Vartaan is getting a list of all the wait staff at each restaurant that served or had access to the Evans food or drink order."

"But if they discarded all the leftovers then we are lost," Sara moaned.

"Tell Vartaan to get us the restaurant from tonight if any and tell them not to throw anything away," Nick quickly told Brass; then looking at Sara with a frown. "Tonight will be our best shot – if we even have one."

"Let's get started," she said pushing her way past him into the house.

"Nick, has Dr. Robbins started on the Evans yet?" Brass dared to ask. Nick looked at him with a glum stare and was about to answer when Brass beat him to it. "That bad?"

"More than you can imagine. It's pretty sick."

"Damn it," Brass cursed as he turned on his heel and headed back to his small task force; Nick turning and heading inside.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey you okay?" Vartaan asked walking up to Brass. "Never seen you this heated up at the start of a case like this."

"I was a personal friend," Brass answered with a slight huff.

"Then one of the few from what I know," Vartaan commented.

"Then you know nothing!" Brass spat as he turned and left the detective wondering what he had said wrong and the others questioning what had happened between the two senior detectives.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So where do we start looking?" Catherine asked Grissom as they sat in his office later that night. "And for what?"

"Well these things have to be reported," he answered as he pulled up the medical database. "We start at the beginning and look for anyone who has died from a mysterious death that destroys the organs at rapid speed but has no outward signs."

"_How_ is that even possible?"

"I am not sure but we know one thing for certain," he started.

"And what is that?" She dared to ask.

"That someone or something found a way to _make_ it possible."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Honey I'm home," Nick joked lightly as he walked up to Sara in the spacious kitchen. "Sorry always wanted to say that in a house like this."

"It is very lavish," she remarked with a slight frown.

"Anything?"

"Well nothing in here," she told him as she opened the door to reveal a nearly empty fridge. "And the cupboards have just the usual stuff. I doubt this bug or whatever it is could live in the cold for very long."

"Agreed," Nick sighed. "I'll get the trash over to Warrick. We should check the rest of the house for other traces of edible substances. Liquids included," Nick said as he called one of the cops to him and directed the young man to gather up all the garbage with instructions to take back to the lab for Greg to process.

"I wonder what kind of man he was," Sara half spoke to herself as she slowly walked through the house.

"Well he had very strong political views and opinions," Brass said walking up to her. "And he wouldn't back down from a fight on moral issues. He was very vocal."

"Think he was killed because of something he stood for?" Nick asked as he made his way closer to them.

"I wouldn't put it past anyone, but Harry wasn't the kind of guy that would push it in anyone's face…just the government," Brass explained as he walked into the same room as them.

"Hate to have _them_ as enemies," Nick snided.

"What was he like personally?" Sara wondered.

"Harry was a very devout father and loving husband…he…I was his best man," Brass stated as his cell phone went off. "We have to find justice for him. It's only fair."

They both watched him leave and then after exchanging quick worried glances, stood in the silent room for a few odd seconds before daring to speak.

"Think he's free and clear in all this?" Sara pondered to Nick.

"I hope so…at least for Brass's sake."

"What did _you _know of him?" Sara asked Nick in a soft tone as they both started to head into the living room.

"Not much really. I didn't have dealings with him directly like Brass did. My mom's legal team worked on a few cases with him in Texas and some other Southern states. Some of the debates got really heated at times," he paused to think. "I remember she would come home and just yell at dad for no reason."

"Didn't your dad object?" Sara asked in surprise.

"Well he knew it wasn't personal…wasn't aimed at him. She would calm down pretty quickly but…"

"What kinds of issues?"

"Teenage abortion, illegal fire arms in schools, same sex education, biological and chemical warfare agents coming into the US. You name it; he had his name on it."

"And your mom took part?"

"Oh she always likes a good legal fight," Nick smiled. "Claimed it made her smarter."

"Did it?" Sara teased.

"Sure made her louder," Nick smiled. His smile quickly turned to a frown however.

"What?"

"Well I can't imagine him being too popular with the other members on the hill."

"Grudge killing? But who could get their hands on such a virus?" Sara wondered in dread.

"Someone with a lot of money and very powerful friends."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Okay so the news is getting old," the male voice growled at the TV. "Do I dare take a ride? Go and see who I am to match brains and brawn with? Yes I think I'll do that," he finished with a proud huff as he pushed himself off the ratty chair and headed for a small table that held that picture on it.

"Mamma warned you didn't she," he half yelled in an angry tone. "You didn't listen. None of them listened. She was right! You paid and so will the rest! They will all pay until there is no one left to fight against us!"

He grabbed his keys and then donned a musty smelling coat. "Just a quick stop at the bank. Have to see if my _donation_ came in."

With that he closed the door; the room still filled with his evil laughter several minutes later.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What have ya got for me?" Warrick asked Greg as he walked into the quiet room. "Why so quiet in here?"

"Helps me think," Greg sighed.

"Yeah about things you shouldn't," Warrick frowned. "Brass has some garbage from the Evans house coming from Nick and Sara. I'll help you with it."

"You think it would be still in there?"

"Well anything organic could still at least contain some of the viruses DNA trace. Hopefully we'll be able to find something that can start us in the right path."

"How would this guy be able to handle such a virus without being infected himself?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"That is a good question," Grissom told Catherine as she asked the same one at the same time in another room. "He obviously has either very high security clearance at the CDC or he has _friends_ who have that clearance."

"Grissom you don't think someone at the CDC is letting out level…"

"I am not saying anything," Grissom quickly countered. "But let's be honest…unless this guy traveled to Africa where Ebola and it's friends live then…"

"You are of course assuming that he got the virus here in the _US_," Catherine stated.

Grissom leaned back in his chair and stared at her in wonder.

"What?" She asked.

"Well if that's the case then the playing field just got a whole lot bigger; and our job a whole lot tougher."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Look Jim I am sorry," Detective Vartaan said as he walked up to Brass.

"I am as well," Brass huffed.

"I would be pissed if it was a close friend of mine as well who died like that."

"Thanks," Brass offered with a wry smile. "What else do you have?"

"Two restaurants," Vartaan told him. "Melina's; the Italian place on Wellesley and the Diva Lounge on Elm. Both still haven't had their trash picked up and each time he got into a heated debate over the lack of service it was at these two restaurants."

"Interesting," Brass remarked as he plucked the list from the detective's hand. "I'll take it to Nick and Sara. And has someone called his doctor yet?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Brass and Vartaan are going to question the wait staff at two of the restaurants and then we can go and check the food," Nick told Sara as he walked into one of the bathrooms that she was investigating.

"There is just nothing here," Sara moaned in misery. "I don't think he got sick at home."

"Well if it is the restaurants we better pray it's one of the two we will visit or the evidence could have been taken out with the trash and I doubt we'll find anything in the city dump."

"That duty you can have all to yourself," she lightly teased.

"Thanks," he responded dryly. "But we might be out of luck anyways because if this thing only has a short gestation period then it might die before we ever find it."

"I don't get it," Sara stopped in mid inspect. "He must have at least _felt_ sick," she uttered. "Why didn't he say something to anyone?"

"Well Brass is checking his doctor's records. Maybe he did."

"But if his organs were…well you know…wouldn't he feel pain before?"

"Unless…" Nick started.

"Unless what?" Sara asked.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Unless the stomach contents were the catalyst that caused this virus to mutate and spread at lighting speed," Dr. Robbins pondered to his tape recorder. He looked at the rather sheepish orderly still standing a few feet away. "What if this man was given one part of the virus sometime earlier – like a day or two ahead…it would be given time to mutate. Then he could have ate something or be given something to speed up its gestation?"

"But how would the virus live without taking over the body from the start?"

"Maybe it already was taking over. Maybe the virus started to mutate _slowly_; taking over the organs slowly; killing the immune and T cells slowly. Then something else was introduced – the catalyst; that when paired with this bug turns it into a deadly contagion and kills the host in a matter of hours?"

"That would be bad," the orderly offered with a shrug.

"_Very insightful_," Robbins stated as he pushed the button on his speaker phone. "Grissom I have a theory you might want to consider."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Penny for your thoughts," Nick told Sara as he walked into the bedroom and stood inches from her, his warm breath on the back of her neck.

Sara was aware of Nick's presence from the moment he stepped into the room, the faint smell of his manly cologne hitting her sense as it made itself aware to her.

"Oh I think they are worth more than that," she commented. She turned to face him; and misjudging the distance bumped her chest into his, her heart starting to race faster at their contact.

"I would agree," Nick breathed down to her, his body starting to feel the warmth from them standing so close.

"I just don't get it," Sara mumbled as she finally got hold of herself in her surroundings and stepped back two feet. Nick offered up a frown but didn't say a word. "We saw the insides of him, surely he…"

"We need to find out _how_ he was infected before we start jumping to conclusions," Nick replied.

"You sound like Grissom," Sara stated flatly.

"Well maybe he's rubbing off on me," Nick countered. "We have to remain objective. If we dwelt on maybe's the whole time we'd…"

"Yes but what if…" she started and then stopped. "There is nothing here," she told him before leaving the extra large bedroom.

Nick sighed; looked at the bed once more and then frowned again. "What a waste," he kinda smirked as he turned and hurried after her into another room. "Well they don't seem like the _let's eat and party in_ every room in the house type of couple," Nick told Sara as he joined her in another sitting room.

"What a waste to have a house this big and never enjoy it," Sara said wiping a finger on a desk and leaving a streak in the dust. "Where they ever home?"

"Well if not then it might be easy to get their pattern down," Nick mentioned.

"Very easy obviously," Sara sighed as she looked at her watch.

"Late for a date?" Nick teased.

"Yes," Sara countered firmly.

Nick just stared at her in surprise as she turned and hurried out of that room and into another. "A date?" Nick whispered in remorse. "At this hour? You have a date at this hour?" Nick called after her.

Sara let out a small laugh as she shone her flashlight around a small bathroom. "Just wanted to see your reaction."

"Well hope you were happy," Nick pouted. "So what is with the watch? Seriously you have looked at if a few times."

"Okay promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise," Nick replied giving her the fake cub scout salute.

"Ebay…"

"Ebay?"

"Ebay," she replied simply, offering up a simple smile and then a small frown. "There is simply no trace of exotic or imported food of any kind in this house…in any room. Did they live here or not?"

"Well their servants only work here, they are not live in, and the Evans daughter is on the east cost in attending Yale and they were traveling a lot from what I can remember on the news this week," Nick rambled on. "We have to check the restaurants."

"Let's go," Sara said pushing her way past him and heading for the stairs, not wanting him to see her slightly flushed cheeks from their brief encounter only minutes earlier.

"Right behind you," Nick replied as he put his flashlight away and headed for the stairs. Why when I am close does she pull away so fast? I know she feels…well _something_…he mused inside his mind. Well maybe…maybe not? Maybe I am just reading into things that I shouldn't, he moaned sadly inside. But if _I_ feel it then…maybe I just want her to feel something and…

"Nick?" Sara's soft voice broke his thoughts.

"Coming," he said taking the list from her and looking at it.

"Some of the wait staff have gone home already," Vartaan told them. "We have managed to track some of them down but my team is working on the rest. I'll come with you and interview the staff while you two check the food."

"Let's go," Nick said loudly as he turned to a very sour looking Brass. "Wanna come?"

"No I want to finish up here. Make sure that they treat everything with respect. Find him Nick…find the bastard who did this," he said walking up to them. "And then let me know."

Nick gave him a nod and then headed for the truck where Sara was already waiting.

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Hope so," Nick pondered as he started up the truck. "But I know if I just lost _my_ best friend," he stated in a firm but warm tone as he looked at her squarely, "to a mad man in this way I'd want _more_ than revenge."

Sara looked at him and only offered up a weak smile. "Do you _have_ a best friend that _you_ care that much about?" She asked in a soft whisper, her heart racing; almost dreading an answer different from the one inside her head.

"I do," Nick replied firmly. "But I don't think _she_ knows just how _much_ I care."

"Does she know she's your best friend?" Sara dared to continue, her heart racing at top speed as the space around them continued to close in on them.

"She will. I promise."


	3. The Path into Despair

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 3 – The Path into Despair**

**A/N**: for those of you that want regular updates as they come I can email you b/c sometimes the author alerts are a little slow! Thanks and hope you all enjoy!

Sara just looked at Nick in surprise and happiness and could only offer up a weak smile at the moment; her heart racing to fast to let her brain make any attempt at words. Why can't I tell him what I _really_ feel? Why can't I show him how much I care? What will it take for me to do that?

Nick smiled back and then decided it was time to get back to work. Her silence made him wonder what she was thinking? Does she feel the same? What if she said nothing because she doesn't feel the same? Nick's brain raced with a million questions as they headed for their next destination. What if we are simply not meant to be?

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So you think that this contagion was delivered in two parts? At two different times?" Grissom asked weakly as he and Catherine continued to work with Dr. Robbins on Harold Evans rapidly decaying corpse.

"And it slowly destroyed the body but when introduced to the second part killed him in a matter of hours?" Catherine questioned incredulously.

"It would appear so," he replied with a frown.

"This is not possible," Catherine protested.

"Why not? The government engages in the creation of biological and chemical warfare agents all the time. Any edge it can give our government over the enemies they'll take," Grissom told her. "I don't see it a such a stretch that they were able to produce a bug with these properties…afterall how long have they been studying the Ebola virus? Who knows? Again this just raises more questions to which we haven't even started to find any kind of answers," Grissom growled.

"But this kind of virus…bug…whatever…doesn't have properties that…"

"That resemble anything we have ever heard about," Dr. Robbins finished her statement. "That's what makes this bug unique and deadly at the same time."

"But how on earth did it just appear _here_? I mean something this deadly and sophisticated just couldn't have come out of thin air," Catherine stated.

"Someone is creating something deadly," Dr. Robbins uttered almost inaudibly.

"Or some organization," Grissom piped up.

"What do you mean? Now you think a _group _was responsible for…" Catherine started in wonder.

"We need to know if Harold Evans was involved in any committee that had ties to the Department of Defense or if he spoke out against biological warfare creation of any kind or in any state," Grissom told them.

"You think the DOD had something to do with this?" Catherine questioned. "Our own?"

"Maybe not even our own. Maybe another country perhaps," Dr. Robbins ventured.

"Again we have too many questions and not enough places to start looking for answers. This is just one theory that…"

"Gil do you think he was involved with any foreign governments warfare departments against the US?" Catherine asked directly.

"I don't know for sure. But from what I know about him he _didn't _have any political ties to any Defense team in any way nor did he…" Grissom frowned.

"How _well_ did you know him?" Dr. Robbins countered in a sardonic tone.

"Obviously not _well_ enough," Grissom retorted as he looked up at Catherine with a stern expression. "I am going to have a heart to heart with Jim."

"What about?"

"Harold Evans and who the hell he _really_ was."

Catherine waited until he left the room and then looked at Dr. Robbins with a worried expression. "And if Brass doesn't know?"

"Then God help us because we'll be in even bigger trouble," Dr. Robbins sighed.

"What if there is _no cure _for this thing?" Catherine ventured in horror.

"Then God help us all," Dr. Robbins said as he looked down at the bloody mass in his hands. "For if this things gets out into the general public _no one_ will be able to help any of us."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Garbage duty," Greg sighed. "Nice smell."

"Hey better than no duty," Warrick quipped.

"I guess it is better than working with Dr. Robbins and Grissom on those bodies," Greg moaned. "I still can't get them out of my head. I think I'll be haunted by…" he rambled on in a heated huff.

"Hey slow down," Warrick rushed. "Concentrate on the task at hand."

"Finding that hard."

"Then tell me about the latest flavour of the month," Warrick teased.

"Chloe is not…and for the record…" Greg's voice continued; making Warrick smile that his distraction had worked.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gil what the hell do you want me to say? Of course I knew him well," Brass spewed angrily into his phone. "He would never get involved in something illegal that could have global implications."

"Jim you hadn't been on a first name basis for some time," Grissom snapped back.

"It was only about a year and it was because…" Brass started in his defense.

"We have his body in our lab and it has something in it that isn't even real!"

"That's not _my_ fault!" Brass retorted.

"I want to know who which committees he sat on, surely you know that!" Grissom challenged.

"So you can implicate him in his own death?" Brass shouted, drawing wondering glances and stares from some task force team members standing near by.

"I want to clear him in his own death!" Grissom shouted into the phone; he too drawing wondering glances from lab members passing by his office. "Look we have something in our labs that killed _our_ friend in a very terrifying and lightening quick way. Jim the last thing I want is to dig something up on Harry that would implicate him in the sale, trafficking or even knowledge of biological warfare. But if he _is_ involved in any way then we need to know. If this thing get out…or if we can't stop whoever administered this in time, its game over, for all of us," Grissom stated in a much calmer, but very firm tone. "He started with Harry who knows who he'll want to target next! If Harry was even the first!"

Brass paused for a brief moment and then let out a huge sigh. "I want this guy Gil."

"Then help me find him."

"What do you need from me?"

"How high does your government clearance get you?"

"I have contacts that can get me pretty high. Why? How high do you need?"

"All the way Jim. We need to go all the way to the _top_," Grissom stated.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why so quiet all of a sudden?" Sara asked Nick in a soft tone as they headed for Diva's Lounge in the heart of down town Las Vegas.

"Just thinking of the times my mom would come home in a rage and how at first I thought she was mad at dad. I remember sitting up sometimes all night and wondering if they were going to get a divorce and the family would be split up. Finally when I would hear them laughing about something afterwards I knew things would be okay. But it really messed up my thinking at first."

"Did you mention it to them?"

"To this day you are the first person that knows that," Nick replied with a frown. "Sorry…not sure why I mentioned it."

"I think that when we come so close with something so horrific like we have tonight that it forces us to think about things…tense situations to be exact…when we might normally not."

"Have you?"

"Yes," she admitted reluctantly.

"Care to share?" Nick asked in earnest.

Sara was a bit hesitant to answer, but if _she_ was the woman Nick was referring to then that's one of the things best friends did. Open up and share feelings and thoughts…without the fear of being rejected or ridiculed. Besides he just opened up, it was only fair; she confirmed inside her mind.

"A friend of mine was killed in school when I was young. She died in a car fire," Sara admitted with an inward wince.

"That explains your reaction at the scene. Sara I am so sorry," Nick consoled.

"I just remember staring at her charred body and wondering what she must have been thinking at the time she died. Then I stopped thinking about her and started wondering if it had been _me_ what would _I_ have been thinking? Would _I_ have been feeling? I didn't care that she must have suffered as she was burning alive; no one being able to help her and…same as tonight…my mind just kept thinking about…how stupid I am."

"Sara that's not being stupid. You just reacted in a normal way that most people probably would have. I am sure you grieved for your friend when you felt it was the time."

"I did," Sara admitted. "But I just kept wondering…did she feel the pain? What were her last thoughts? Any regrets as she died?"

"Makes you want to really appreciate every day and live it to the fullest," Nick added.

"And appreciate what you have," Sara continued. "But selfishly I thought of myself. I mean she was alive when she was burning to death and all I could think of was what would I have done? Would I have felt the pain? Would I have any regrets? I think that's why I am mad tonight. When I saw the Evans bodies I thought the same thing? My thoughts focused on me and what I would have thought and done? Would I have any regrets? Would those I love miss me? Would…"

"Sara it's only normal. Death does that to us all. Makes us think about what we have; reflect on our lives and then work to make things better," Nick conversed. "I think the danger is when we desensitize ourselves and just look at it as if nothing is different and go about our merry ways."

"This coming from a man that exudes…"

"Sara when I am alone I do take the time to reflect and appreciate," Nick quickly added.

"I wasn't inferring that you don't Nick. But how do you do it? How do you look at a scene like the Evans and keep your brain from jumping to rash conclusions like mine does?"

"Practice I guess," he smiled. "I can teach you sometime?"

"I think I would like that," she offered weakly.

"Me too," he concluded warmly as they pulled into the parking lot of the fancy restaurant.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So do we know how the "bug" was introduced into his system?"

"Roger is checking the lung and throat tissue samples now but my guess still is that he ate something," Dr. Robbins answered.

"What a way to go…either way…death by "bug" or death by horrific car crash," Catherine commented as she rubbed her chin under the protective face mask.

"I would be interested to know if this thing is contagious or not," Dr. Robbins sighed. "Mask interferes with my glasses."

"But if it were airborne then wouldn't we see more people being infected?" Catherine questioned.

"Good guess. Wanna take off the mask and try?" Dr. Robbins mused.

"No," was the quick reply.

"Didn't think so. Well I think it's safe to say that we are still working on _his_ death; I think I'll get started on hers to see if she too was infected."

"And if she wasn't?"

"Then he was targeted specifically."

"Need a hand?" Catherine offered.

"Always."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So where do we start?" Brass asked as he met Grissom in front of the Police Station house.

"We start with his contacts and what he was involved with over the past say 60-90 days."

"Gee and easy one. What do we need?" Brass asked.

"A fast computer, a good database and a lot of coffee," Grissom replied. "He's out there Jim; we just have to find him and fast."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well I wonder if anyone out here cares that you are even dead!" The male voice shouted at a picture of Harold Evans on a small dusty desk. "No one cared about the other guy. Well I mean the government did…at least to a degree. But no one personal. I WANT PERSONAL! I WANT THIS TO BE PERSONAL!" He yelled until his lungs went dry and he started to cough. "I want them to suffer like you made me…I want them to feel the loss…the pain…the…" he shouted again; this time at a picture of a young woman. "She'll never know will she? What daddy was up to? Never know…"

The male figure finally stopped his shouting and frantic pacing and took a deep breath. He felt a small pain in his chest and rushed to the dingy kitchen and grabbed a bottle of pills. "You will all pay for this!"

"I think I'll take a drive," the male voice concluded as he got into his non-descript mid-size sedan. "I wonder where my travels will take me?" He asked out loud in a mock cheery voice. "Maybe some place to eat. But then again…you can never trust what you _eat_ in a restaurant…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Nice place," Sara commented as she followed behind Nick into the upscale restaurant. "Ever eaten here?"

"Took my mom and dad here when they visited," Nick replied.

"When was that?"

"The first and last time a few years ago," he answered with a slight sigh. "Good food though."

"Why don't they want to come?" Sara asked softly. "I mean out here to visit you more often?"

"Long story," Nick huffed. "I'll tell it to you sometime."

"Well Vartaan has the staff covered; shall we start in the kitchen?" Sara asked, deciding to change the subject to something less personal.

"Why not. I'm sure we'll find some spicy stuff in there," he teased.

Sara just rolled her eyes and led the way into the kitchen; introducing them and then getting started on her side of the very busy and crowded cooking area. She tried to concentrate on looking for odd biological traces but her mind kept playing over scenario's of her and Nick dining together at a restaurant like this one. Sadly she feared it would only be in her dreams and never a reality. Do dreams ever come true, she pondered inside?

Nick looked over at Sara and just lightly shook his head in amazement. She was very capable of distancing herself when she needed to but somehow always let something emotional cause her to slide when she needed to be objective. She was complex indeed, he told himself inside. As he started to look for whatever it was they needed to be looking for he couldn't help but wonder what she would say if he asked her out to a place like this. He made a mental note in the back of his mind to ask her when this whole mess was over. But would she want to?

They both heard a loud shout and looked up at each other and exchanged amused looks.

"Sucks to be Vartaan right now. I'm glad he's dealing with these high nosed snobs and not me," Nick announced triumphantly.

"I agree," she sighed as she glanced out the small kitchen window at a very annoyed seasoned detective. "Very glad."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"As I said before," Detective Vartaan started to a very upset manager. "I told your…well whoever answered the phone that we were coming here…"

"Well _I_ didn't get the message," Cedric White's angry voice boomed again. "You are disturbing the customers."

"Actually sir you are the one with the raised voice," Vartaan countered. "Do you have an office we can continue this in?"

"And what are those two…_miscreants_…doing in _my_ kitchen!" White questioned in an annoyed tone.

"Trying to clear you of murder," Vartaan stated directly.

"What?" White asked in shock.

"Like I said before…do you have an office that…"

"This way…" Cedric White huffed as turned on his heel and pushed his way through another set of doors. Detective Vartaan let out another sigh and followed the snobby maitre de. "This is going to be a long night."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I really hate the smell of garbage," Greg moaned as they continued to sift through the medium sized mound on the table before them.

"Well I think Dr. Robbins could use some more help downstairs," Warrick sighed.

"I could never do his job," Greg mentioned.

"Why not?"

"I don't think I could distance myself from the deceased. Especially if was a child or something."

"Greg, those are hard on all of us. The death of a child for any reason takes its toll. That' natural. But as for what Dr. Robbins does, well he has just learned to be able to detach when he leaves the building."

"What if it was a personal friend he had to work on?"

"Does your mind ever rest?" Warrick quipped.

"No," Greg retorted. "And I hope it never does."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Anything yet?" Nick asked as he finished with one counter and then started on another.

"I have found a few strange things but then again I am not an exotic food connoisseur so I might actually be bagging stuff that these people eat every day," she sighed. "You?"

"Well nothing yet but I think I'll take a look outside and see what kind of place we have to travel to next."

Sara watched him leave and then turned back to her own counter with a small frown. "I wonder what he does in his down time?" She asked herself out loud as Nick disappeared from view.

Nick slowly walked into the alleyway and turned towards the garbage can in order to inspect it. He neared the large bin, totally unaware of the intent set of dark evil eyes watching his every move.

"Nice smell," Nick moaned lightly as he jumped up onto a small ledge and pulled the container lid back.

_CSI eh? Now you seem a bit smarter than the last team I worked with. Took them at least a day or so to figure it out. Course…they were mostly rookies…_

Nick was about to take a closer look at something sticking up from the inside of the bin when he heard movement to his right and turned his head to see a dark cloaked figure hovering near the garbage can…just out of discernable eyesight range.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So when did the Evans's arrive?" Vartaan asked Cedric White.

"About 7pm," White yawned.

Vartaan just rolled his eyes and continued. "You know if my restaurant was in danger of being shut down because a patron possibly died here…"

"I heard he died in a car accident," White snided.

"Food poisoning," Vartaan smiled. "You _heard_ wrong."

White narrowed his eyes at Vartaan and offered up a small frown. "He was here at 7pm and his dinner wasn't served until after 9pm. We had a last minute party for the Mayor scheduled and…well you see the Mayor is a little more important."

"But Evans was a congressman. Pretty important to, don't you think?" Vartaan countered.

"I suppose."

"I want to speak to whoever served Evans and waited on him."

"Be my guest. Anything to get _you_ out of _here _faster," White snipped.

"You know _I am_ a paying customer as well," Vartaan mentioned.

"Really? You?" White asked with a turned up nose. "I am surprised you even can say the word…"

"Look," Vartaan growled in a deep angry voice as he stepped in inches closer. "The man killed tonight is a friend of a close friend. If I find out anything that implicates this place in any way, it will be my personal pleasure to shut you down. How's that for big words."

And without letting White get a word in edgewise, Vartaan turned on his heel and headed back into the sparsely populated dining room. "Jerk," he muttered under his breath. "I hope we find the guy _here_."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick noticed the hovering figure not making a move to leave. "What is he looking for?" Nick asked as he took another step in the dark figures direction.

"Hi there," Nick called out. "Anything I can help you with?"

Nick locked eyes with the dark figure for but a second but they would be burned into his soul; ready to come back and haunt him at a later time.

"_Not yet_," the smug voice replied it turned and raced for his car, leaving the words…"_but you will_...I promise…." hanging in the air next to Nick.

"Hey!" Nick called out as jumped down and ran after the car, but it turned a corner and disappeared from view; the CSI not being able to see the license plate or driver.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara heard Nick's frantic voice and immediately her body reacted by sending her flying through the back doors and into the alleyway; the already in her hand.

"Nick!" Sara called out in a panicked voice.

"It's okay," Nick assured as he rushed up to her.

"I heard you shout and…" she lightly panted.

"Sorry," he sighed. "Just a guy hanging around here and I called out to him but he took off. Didn't mean to cause any alarm. I'm okay."

"Well as long as you are okay," Sara replied as she offered up a small smile and then turned and headed back inside.

"If I had said _no,_ I wonder what she would have done?" He lightly laughed to himself as he headed back to the dumpster; unaware of the enemy he just crossed paths with briefly. Brief but lasting – at least for one party.

"This is gonna be hell," Nick mused as he radioed to one of the police officers with Detective Vartaan. "I need some help in the back...and bring gloves."

"What have you got?" Detective Vartaan asked Sara as he headed into the kitchen about 15 minutes later.

"Well I did find some…well they looked somewhat edible that I bagged but nothing out of the ordinary. What about you? Have fun talking to Mr. Snob?"

"Not really," he sighed. "And the rest of the staff just agreed with his story. The restaurant was over crowded, the staff was behind, Evans food was late, there was shouting match and then they left. The cooks didn't make him anything exotic, steak for him and pasta for her. Everything cooked. The wait staff served them both soda's; apparently neither of them drank."

"I saw the glasses and they are already on their way to Warrick," Sara replied slowly. "Nick is checking the food remains but it's gonna be hell to try to find anything in that large mess."

"Where is Nick?"

"Still out back with the dumpster. I think he is arranging to have the contents sent to the lab as well," she frowned. "I'm glad I'm not the team that gets to process all that."

"Not to mention the garbage from Melina's."

"Yeah lucky team that gets to work on that," Nick echoed as he walked into the room. "What?" He asked in an innocent tone; noticing the looks from Detective Vartaan and Sara.

"Well I am done here; take your time," Vartaan called out as he left the kitchen. "I have a few other kitchen staff to interview that went home already and my team is already heading over to Melina's. Grissom paged me earlier and told me that he sent another CSI team over to Melina's and for you two to get back to the lab. Later," Vartaan called out as he left.

"Anything?" Sara asked as she went back to finishing up her task.

"Too soon to tell yet," Nick replied. "You know if Dr. Robbins is right then he could have been given the first half of…well of whatever…even a week ago. Then it's long gone."

"I know," Sara huffed. "I keep trying to figure out how this thing was introduced and unless he ate it I just can't…but then again I don't know what he was doing this past week and…"

"True. For all we know it could have been administered in a number of different ways," Nick added.

"I think our only break will be if this thing…even when it dies…leaves a DNA trace for us to find. But I somehow think that someone who was able to create something so deadly would have thought of that."

"Well let's pray he or _she_ for that matter didn't."

"She? No way…this has _he_ written all over it," Sara defended.

"Maybe it was a jilted lover? I mean a woman scorned…" Nick teased as Sara gave him a playful slap. "Kidding."

"Better," she replied firmly. "Besides we don't know that Evans didn't do it to himself in some way."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe he _was_ involved in something that was illegal. You said it yourself he always liked a good heated controversy."

"Well whatever I hope we find some answers and fast," Nick replied. "Or this will be a long case."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Still can't believe we are doing research on Harry," Brass sighed as he and Grissom said in Brass's office at the police station; waiting for the computer to work it's magic.

"I am in shock as well Jim," Grissom replied. "But why would anyone target him if…"

"If he wasn't involved in some way," Brass offered with a heavy sigh. "I know…I just keep wondering why the hell he would get involved in something like this in the first place. Unless he had no choice."

"Jim we both know that Harry never backed down from anything….what?" Grissom asked after a few seconds.

"Nick said what Dr. Robbins found so far was pretty sick."

"He's right," Grissom stated.

"Tell me," Brass told him.

"Are you sure you want to know?" When Grissom got the nod of approval, he let out a deep sigh and offered up a small frown. "Jim whatever he was involved with turned on him…someone or something infected with him with a bug that has turned his organs…well basically to mush."

"What the hell?"

"Did he see his doctor in the past few days?"

"Yes," Brass answered. "I have Albertson on it now. He's due to check in at any moment."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

**452 Rogers Drive, Residence of Dr. William Strand**

"Dr. Strand…police…" detective Albertson called out at the home of Harold Evans physician. "We just need to talk to you about…"

"Sir…" a uniformed officer came rushing up to him. "You better follow me," he huffed as he turned and headed back to the back of the house; the senior officer in tow. They walked around to a set of glass french doors and peered inside to see two bodies lying in a pool of blood.

"Damn it," Albertson cursed as he pulled out his phone. "Brass…you aren't going to like this."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara's mind was still racing from the earlier events of the evening. Nick had told her that she…well she guessed it was her…was his best friend. At least he was going to prove that. He did a bit tonight by opening up to her. Then when she heard his frantic cry her mind again switched into top gear at the thought of something happening to him before she had a chance to tell him how she really felt. She wouldn't have to wait to long to make the attempt.

"So do _you_ have a best friend?" Nick asked in a low tone as they headed back to the CSI truck; breaking her from her thoughts about him.

"I might have," she turned to face him squarely.

Nick stopped suddenly and looked at her with an inquiring glance. "Do they have a name?"

"They do," she smiled softly.

"Are they aware they are your best friend?" Nick dared to ask, his heart now racing the same pace Sara's was when she asked him the same question.

"Not yet," she whispered as she leaned in closer. "But I promise you, _you_ will soon." With those words, she turned on her heel and headed for Detective Vartaan and his crew; leaving Nick standing alone in his spot, his heart still racing and his face aglow with hope.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Okay," Catherine sighed. "So she _wasn't _infected like he was. I guess this thing isn't contagious like the Ebola virus…unless they haven't…well you know…" she trailed off.

"Or she wasn't a target like he was," Dr. Robbins sighed.

"This case just keep getting stranger and stranger," Catherine sighed as her phone went off. She walked away from the table to answer it.

"Margaret wasn't infected," Catherine told Grissom.

"Well if he told his doctor that end is dead – literally. One of Brass's detectives just found the good doctor and his wife…appeared to be murdered but I'm sending Warrick and Greg over to check the Strand residence just to be sure."

"So where does this leave us?"

"Still at the beginning," Grissom sighed. "Get to the database and check all the states medical records for the past three or so months. Brass is sending Vartaan to check the records in Strand's office and bring them to you. Brass and I are going hunting."

"Hunting?" Catherine asked dryly.

"Hunting for the devil," Grissom stated looking at Brass.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Stokes_ eh? I wonder who you are my _new_ CSI opponent. Stokes…Stokes…Stokes…" the voice pondered for a bit; realization starting to dawn on his evil face. "Could you be…could it be possible? What if you are? Oh this is just _too _perfect! Could you be their number one son? The ones remotely involved, but involved nonetheless? If so then I am that lucky!" He shouted in wicked glee. "Oh my day was just made. And how do you figure in this case? Are you just a worker? Or perhaps a friend of someone close to Harold Evans? Oh a friend of a friend who…Oh I hope so because if you all get to close then I will need someone to make an _example_ of…someone _personal_ and you will be _perfect_!"

Dear readers…hope you are still liking the story and will review if you do. I noticed there were fewer reviews for chapter 2 so if you are not liking the story please let me know. Thanks again!


	4. An Invitation to Challenge the Devil

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 4 – An Invitation to Challenge the Devil**

"Man made it back in time…" the male voice huffed as he closed the door behind Detective Vartaan. "Just routine duty," he sighed. "But who did he say was in charge? Jim Brass…" he pondered as he walked over to his small laptop computer. "Who is Jim Brass…and he is a _personal_ friend?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So how many enemies to you think he had?" Grissom asked in wonder.

"You know Harry and his opinions. Probably many."

"Any one powerful enough to do this?"

"Probably a few," Brass sighed.

"Let's find them."

"Well we can't just check the local databases," Brass told him. "We need to get into the top systems to see what's going on. And I don't mean just the FBI; although we'll start there."

"Jim you know the US Government database tracks whoever logs into their system," Grissom stated.

"Then we'll have to do it the _"easy" _way," Brass smiled as he gestured to a young woman to come near to them. "Gil Grissom meet Chloe Banks. She's a friend of Greg's and has the best hands in the business."

"So you're the hacker..." Grissom stated.

"Best there is," she smiled proudly.

"So Greg says," Grissom quipped.

"You've heard about me?" She asked in surprise.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick's mind was still trying to figure out Sara's words as she got back into the truck and they headed back to the lab. She was always so guarded with her thoughts and feelings but when she opened up to him he knew it was something special. But was it real?

Sara was aware of the growing silence between them and was wondering what Nick thought of what she had told him earlier. Does he not believe me, she wondered to herself?

Nick too felt the silence growing between them and knew it wouldn't be good to let it continue to grow, lest he feared it would damage their new budding relationship.

"Are you hungry? For breakfast I mean," Nick blurted out suddenly.

"I'm not really a big breakfast eater," Sara replied in haste.

"I see…I am going…"

"I would love to join you," she added nervously.

"It's a buffet so you can eat as much or as little," Nick smiled; the tension starting to wane between them.

"Fruit and toast works for me," she smiled back.

"I doubt they'll have this case all wrapped up tonight but I think it would be better," Nick huffed. "Brass seems really stressed. I wonder what he'd do if he and Grissom were to find anything on Evans that would incriminate him in a bad way?"

"Maybe your mom knows something," Sara piped up.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. Good thinking," Nick praised.

"Think he was the only target?" Sara dared to ask.

"God I hope so," Nick replied with a frown. "Could you imagine if he had his sights set on someone else? Or just anyone at random?"

"Someone in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Sara whispered fatefully.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So that's who you are Jim Brass," the male voice stated. "You _and_ Nick Stokes are now my enemies as well. But since you both know him personally…" his voice trailed off into a twisted smile. "Then my wish just came true," he turned and eyed two small vials on a dusty table. "It just got personal."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Chloe are you busy?" Greg asked as he stole away from Warrick and garbage duty for a bit.

"Working with Brass and Grissom," she answered in a quiet tone. "Greg they are talking government conspiracy. What is going on?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "But just be careful."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"How's he doing?" Catherine asked Grissom on the phone while he waited for Brass to return and she stared blankly at the database before her.

"He's trying to get higher clearance right now," Grissom sighed. "Either way this swings with Harry, Brass is going to fare badly I fear. The stress…"

"He's pulled through tougher times before. Remember his daughter and…"

"I know," Grissom answered. "Find anything?"

"Well Robbins is trying to determine how Evans got infected by the virus. Whether he actually ingested it or was administered it in some way."

"When is Vartaan getting there?"

"On his way now," Catherine responded. "I have done a quick search on these symptoms and so far nothing much."

"I will get Chloe to check the medical files of the FBI and…"

"Grissom you can't be serious," Catherine hissed in a hushed tone. "Tampering with FBI files is a criminal offense…"

"So is murder!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hodges has the glasses and is running the tests now," Warrick told Nick and Sara as they entered the lab.

"Nice smell. New cologne?" Nick teased.

"Funny," Warrick huffed. "We have pulled all traces of food that looked like left over steak and pasta and it's being examined now."

"Where is everyone else?" Sara asked quickly.

"Catherine is checking the medical database and Grissom is over at the station house with Brass. Vartaan is on his way over with the Evans medical files."

"I am going to check on Catherine," Sara mentioned. With that she turned and rushed out of the room and headed for her friend's office; and some much needed advice.

"How did it go?" Warrick asked.

"Didn't get much," Nick sighed.

"I meant with Sara?"

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked in haste.

"Man I am not blind. I see the way you two look at each other. Anything happen?"

"No," Nick responded. "But the day is young," he smiled; to which Warrick just rolled his eyes and turned away. "Later man. Greg and I got Evans doctor's murder to contend with."

"Have fun," Nick called out; as he let out a small chuckle and then went back to wondering what Sara was talking to Catherine about.

"Hey," Catherine said to Sara as she rushed into her room and sat down in a nearby chair. "What's up?"

"Didn't find much at the restaurant," Sara mentioned in a flat tone.

"Vartaan finished up with the questionings and is bringing back the medical records…and…what's up?"

"What do you mean?" Sara asked quickly.

"You are giving me that blank stare. Is this case boring you already?"

"How do you make small talk?" Sara blurted out.

"With anyone in particular?" Catherine smiled.

"Yes…well kind of…it's just a…"

"Sara…"

"Yes?"

"Who is it?"

"Nick," Sara answered with a growing smile. "Our _friendship_ has been…well growing and…and I am happy with that but…but I sometimes get nervous when I am talking…well just trying to be…well myself and I…Catherine how do I make small talk with him?"

"To keep a man interested…if that's what you want," she offered with a kind smile. "You have to be interesting and mysterious. Interesting so that he wonders if he could ever do the things you are doing and be part of your world. That drives men nuts. And mysterious. So he asked you to breakfast this morning. Next invitation you are busy."

"But if I say no will he ask again?"

"That's why the first time you have to make him _want_ a second time."

"And how do I do that?" Sara asked.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"People are creatures of habit…predicable…stupid automatons!" The male voice snided. "First they'll do an autopsy on your body…"_

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Dr. Robbins there just isn't anything here to suggest he ingested it," the young medical examiner named Rogers exclaimed.

"Keep looking…it's here somewhere. The key to what we are looking for is here…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"Then they'll check the food you ate that night…" the voice continued in a low mocking tone._

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"There just isn't much here to suggest that he was infected by anything that looked suspiciously like a deadly virus," Hodges told Nick. "The food looks clean."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"Then they'll look at your medical records to see if anything was reported…"_

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Catherine he only reported a few mild cases of heartburn," Vartaan told her as he showed her the medical records of Harold Evans.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"Then they'll check the doctor…when they realize it was a murder suicide they'll stop…"_

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Grissom looks like the good doctor shot his wife and then himself," Warrick said into the phone. "Greg is just finishing up now. No signs of a struggle or forced entry."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"And then if they are smart they'll start looking deeper…"_

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Jim we need to go deeper than just the police records in Las Vegas," Grissom stated.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"And then they'll stop. They'll realize that they have hit all the brick walls I have created and give up. This team isn't smarter than me," the voice laughed to the deceased picture of Harold Evans on his small table. "You thought you could outsmart me. You thought you could all stop me! YOU WERE WRONG!" He yelled in anger, his fist flying through the air and smashing the picture into tiny glass shards as it landed on the dusty wooden floor. "I AM SMARTER THAN EVERYONE!" He yelled down at the picture. "No one…no one will figure it out…" he panted in short painful breaths. "No one will ever guess what _I_ did…what _we_ did…no one…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I know that look," Brass stated to Grissom as he walked back to his desk and noticed the senior CSI deep in thought. "What?"

"We are going about this the wrong way," Grissom replied. "This guy is no stranger to a crime scene. Everything is done perfectly," he continued with a small smile. "The disease…the crash…the doctor's records with nothing…the doctor's murder-suicide…and us hitting a dead end even with your top clearance. We are missing _something_…" he pondered as he stared at the screen before him. "I am betting this guy has done this before but when the other teams came up with what we have just now – nothing – they stopped. We can't stop."

"Gil we have been through…"

"No we haven't," Grissom remarked quickly. "We can't stop. He is counting on that. We have to keep going."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"But if they keep trying…" the voice added smugly as it fixed it's eyes on two pictures on the table; beside the now vacant spot where Evans picture used to be. "Then I will have to deal with them…in a _personal_ way."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_Interesting and mysterious_…were the words Sara's brain played over and over as she sat beside Nick in the truck as they headed for the hotel where he said the worlds greatest breakfast was. I need to be…but how?

"Which hotel are we going to?" Sara asked out of interest.

"The Rio," Nick replied.

"That's great," Sara replied with heartfelt enthusiasm. She had actually stayed at the Rio before and hoped it would help her with her dreaded personal small talk scenario that she was sure was to play out before the morning was over.

"Ever been?" Nick asked in wonder.

"I have…and it was great," Sara answered in an even tone, not wanting to give too much away.

"Business or pleasure?" Nick teased.

"Pleasure," Sara answered with a shy smile.

"Oh do tell," Nick tried to draw her out.

Sara knew if she told him everything right away then she would lose the mystery that Catherine talked to her about. "You think Grissom called a staff meeting at the start of the shift tonight because he found something or is going to end the case? Warrick said that it looked like a murder – suid…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I wonder if you have anyone close to you Nick Stokes? I already know Jim Brass lives alone; but Nick…who do you…hmmm…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Okay you just can't say pleasure like that and then switch to the case," Nick moaned.

"Why not?" Sara asked with a fake innocent smile.

"Because you just can't," he replied; not really having a good answer to get her to give him more information on the answer that was driving him nuts.

"Nick it was just…well…well I can't help but wonder who…" Sara rattled on.

Nick looked at Sara sideways and let out a small sigh. Maybe there was more to her than he thought.

And for the next hour Sara tried to remember what Catherine told her and by the time Nick was driving her back to get her car he had already asked her for the next morning. She nearly gave in but found herself saying she had something to do and then smiled when he asked if he could help.

"See you tonight," he smiled as he gave her hand a warm squeeze as she got into her car. He let his hand linger for a bit longer and much to his chagrin found her pulling it away all too quickly.

"Bye," she offered in a small whisper as she managed to get the door closed and her car started. Her body was heating up and her heart racing from just a small touch she wondered what might happen if they really got intimate. "I'd probably have a heart attack," she laughed to herself as she raced home.

Nick's thoughts too were consumed with his morning breakfast with Sara. "A friend…a pleasure trip with a _friend_," he played over and over to himself as he headed for home. "What the hell does that mean?" He asked with a half laugh; trying to calm his heart at the same time. Her plan had worked because he found himself wondering what it would be like to stay in such a fancy place with her…the room all to themselves…nothing but…"I need a cold shower," Nick laughed as he pulled up to his place. He got out of the truck and headed for the front door; a small package waiting for him.

"What is this?" He asked picking up the small gift bag. "Thanks for the great time… a _friend_." The card read.

"A friend?" Nick smiled as he opened the small bag and stared down at its contents. "Sara you are too funny," he laughed as he headed into his place; unaware of the deadly trap he had just stepped into.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gil we have been over…" Catherine started as her and Grissom and Brass sat around a small table just before their regular shift started.

"Then we need to go over it again," Grissom stated.

"We have hacked into…"

"Then we need to do it again," Grissom replied firmly. "We can't just give up. Everything fits too neatly. There is something here we are missing."

"Hodges found nothing special in the glasses…the food came up empty and the doctor's reports tell us he had a few mild cases of heartburn which Dr. Robbins findings proved that. Maybe he just picked up something in a foreign country and that's the end of the story," Catherine offered.

"It's too neat," Grissom argued.

"Gil I want this wrapped up and…"

"Jim there is something bigger here that we aren't seeing. We need to dig deeper into what Harry was involved with."

"Where do we start? We have been everywhere!" Brass argued back, his voice raising.

"Then we need to go back and start again!" Grissom shouted back.

"I want this guy just as much even more but this isn't helping. Can't we just let him rest in peace!" Brass shouted this time.

"He's not in peace! He's in hell!" Grissom continued.

"Enough!" Catherine's loud angry voice stopped them. "We also have to act like calm rash adults. Falling apart or being at each other's throats is not going to help us."

"We need to get Chloe to hack into the US Government's database. The FBI…"

"Gil are you asking…" Brass started.

"The FBI database was covered too well. All the files were perfectly closed and all traces to Harry's dealings were…"

"Maybe he had none. Ever thought of that? Maybe he…" Brass tried again.

"Jim he is involved in something. Whatever killed him isn't normal. I am willing to bet there is someone out there laughing at us right now; knowing he put us at this dead end. I for one am not going to settle for that," Grissom ended in a loud angry tone.

After a few minutes of silence had passed; letting everyone calm down a little and allow their tempers to settle. Then Catherine spoke. "So where do we start?"

"We need to find out everything on Harold Evans and what he was involved with in the past 60-90 days. I am guessing this thing wasn't something he just ran into and then died," Grissom stated as the rest of the team joined them.

"Catherine I want you to work with Dr. Robbins and help him examine every possible angle in the death of Harold Evans. Warrick I want you and Greg to go back to the doctor's house and check it again for – anything. I am going out on a limb that he and his wife were murdered and that we are not seeing something. Even if it seems small – follow it. Brass, send Vartaan to check Strands files. Tell him investigate every angle. Nick, Sara I want you to head back to the Evans and then contact their daughter. She might know something else that we are over looking. Brass and I are going to continue to…"

"Conduct illegal activities," Brass snided.

With that everyone went their separate ways, leaving Grissom and Catherine alone to share a few moments. "What is it about this case that has you so worked up? I can see Brass because he knew him a little more personally than you did but…"

"I knew him personally as well but it just bugs me that someone out there thinks they can get away with this," Grissom stated. "But I am glad you are working with me on this. I need a calm head."

"You really think someone is playing games with us on this one?"

"With _all_ of us," Grissom replied. "And in this game there is only one winner. And if I have anything to say about it, it won't be our killer."

"If he's even still here," Catherine sighed.

"Oh he is," Grissom told her. "I am willing to bet he's watching everything we do."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You can look all you want CSI's," the male voice laughed. It continued laughing until something on the screen before him started to blink in rapid succession.

"What? What the hell is this!" He shouted in a panicked rage at the screen before him. "They are trying something new…don't they know what they'll _find_ if they keep DIGGING! DO THEY ALL WANT TO DIE!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't get this," Albertson stated as he continued to look at the files with Detective Vartaan in Dr. Strands office.

"We need something more I guess."

"Like what?" Albertson questioned.

"Look for what doesn't fit," Vartaan advised. "Something out of the ordinary."

Albertson put down his file and started to look though some personal notes and cards on Strands desk. "Something…out of…the…ordinary…" he mumbled over and over to himself as he continued to sift through Strands personal effects. Finally his eyes rested on something that was strange indeed.

"I think I found something," Albertson said holding up a piece of paper for Vartaan to see. "Dr Strand has a note to call another doctor in Washington regarding Harold Evans _condition_."

"What?" Vartaan asked quickly. "Let me see that," he said plucking the card from the junior Detective's hands. "See if you can find anything else like this," Vartaan said heading for Strands desk. "I am going to call this number."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So where do I start?" Dr. Robbins sighed as he and Catherine donned the small white masks and headed back for Harold Evans rapidly decaying body.

"Something out of the ordinary," was Catherine's short reply.

"You sound like Grissom," Robbins quipped.

"I think he might be right this time. What about these abrasions on his elbows? The ones the fire wasn't able to get because of the shirt, suit jacket and coat?"

"Just a few cuts from chaffed skin. Looks very dry but nothing that I haven't seen before," Robbins sighed. "I'll get on it."

"I'll keep looking," she stated.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Do they really think we'll find something else here? I mean haven't the police looked for files and such?" Sara questioned as they headed for the Evans estate.

"Well we were only looking for food items before; not his personal itinerary. And I wonder why his daughter hasn't flown down here yet?"

"Has anyone really talked to her?" Sara wondered.

"I…I don't know," Nick frowned as he rubbed his neck a little.

"Rash?" Sara asked as she noticed the small red splotch on his neck.

"No," Nick smiled to her. "You know I haven't had a chance to thank my _friend_ for giving me that nice surprise," he commented.

"What surprise?" Sara replied with a half smile.

"Oh playing coy are we?" Nick teased as they pulled into the Evans estate. "That's okay," he said as he stopped the truck. "I don't mind. I like surprises."

Sara just stared in wonder as he got out of the truck. "What surprise is he talking about?" She questioned to herself as she started to follow him. "What surprise are you talking about Nick?"

"Sara its okay," he smiled as he rubbed his neck once more. "But I think I am allergic."

"Looks to be," she said moving in a bit closer. She was suddenly hit with the fresh smell of his cologne and found herself unable to pull away. "I uh…well you…I mean it smells nice," she stammered in a nervous tone; finally looking up at him; the nearness of their bodies making the aura around them grow.

"Thank you," Nick whispered down to her. "You know you can surprise me anytime you like," he continued in a low husky tone as he brought his hand to her cheek and gently pushed a piece of hair away. "Anytime…"

Nick's finger left a heat trail blazoned on her cheek and she immediately felt her heart start to beat a bit faster.

Nick let his finger linger on her cheek and then snapped himself back to reality. "I want us to go out…"

"On a date?" Sara asked weakly.

"Yes," was his firm reply. "And not for breakfast…well unless I cook it for you," he rushed. He looked at Sara's shocked expression and then much to the chagrin of both of them pulled away. "Sara I…I didn't meant…"

"Yes you did," was her short reply. "I am _not_ that easy. You think that just because we had breakfast together that I am going to jump into the sack and have se…"

"Sara I didn't mean it…"

"I am sorry Nick…maybe this was a bad idea," she replied as she quickly turned and headed for the entrance to the Evans estate.

"Damn it!" Nick cursed as he rushed after her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him. "Sara I won't let you turn something small into something big and then stew about it."

"I wouldn't let…"

"Yes you would. I know you," Nick continued. "Yes I'll admit that I have thought about us having sex and I know it would be wonderful and I know that by the way you are around me when we are alone that you have thought about it as well."

Sara cursed herself inside for being so easy to read. Nick was right. Down to the last word.

"My heart spoke without checking with my brain. Please don't let tension grow because of something rash. I am not going to expect you to give yourself to me until we are both ready."

Sara studied his facial expression as she listened to his frantic words and knew he was telling her the truth. "Nick I…" she started as she tried to turn away."I am just…well scared I guess. Yes I have feelings for you and have thought about…well us…" she whispered as she turned back to face him. "But I have been hurt and am not ready to give myself…well…well I too want it to be special and…and I am sorry for being so rash to fast. I guess I just still feel the need to protect myself…"

"I won't hurt you…I promise."

"Nick I _didn't_ give you that gift…the surprise…whatever you thought I gave you I didn't. And when I heard you going on about it…"

"You thought it was someone else," Nick winced. "Sara I promise there is no one else. Must have been Warrick or one of the guys jerkin' my chain. But you say the word and I'll be gone from your personal life, but trust me, as of right now there is on one else."

"I don't want you to leave," she told him, making him instantly feel relief inside. "I am sorry for jumping to rash conclusions."

"That's okay I like you being jealous over me," he teased; earning him a playful slap. "Ah that's more like it." He took her hand in his and moved in close; brining her hand to his lips and kissing it tenderly. "You are more than worth the wait. Come on let's finish this so we can really get our day started."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't believe this," Grissom stated as he stared at the screen in wonder. "Jim do you see…"

"I do but I don't believe it," Brass replied in a frank tone.

"His name is next to many of these defense agreements to start the creation of a new biological weapon against the…the Chinese?"

"China isn't even a threat to the US," Brass growled. "What the hell does this mean?"

"That he was involved with someone that wanted to start something between China and the US," Grissom concluded.

"That is treason Gil," Brass stated.

"No Jim…it is murder!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Damn you for beating me here! I hate you even more!" He yelled at Nick and Sara. "I wonder what they are discussing," the male voice seethed as it watched Nick and Sara enter Evans Estate. He put down his binoculars and cursed to himself for not getting to the Evans estate before them. "So maybe this team is a bit smarter than the others. Pity for them. This just moves up my timeline. Enjoy your embrace CSI's…for it will be your last!"

DEAR READERS: I want to thank you all so much for the great and wonderful reviews. Trust me taking time…well from rehab! Lol…and my family life, work life, home life and life life it's so nice to see that the time I take is appreciated. It only takes a few minutes to show appreciation but trust me us writers so love it! Thanks all and hope you are enjoying the story! Hope you all want a bit more!


	5. Wrong Us Shall We Not Avenge?

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 5 – Wrong Us – Shall We Not Avenge?**

"So what do we look for? He killed his wife and himself," Greg frowned as he and Warrick stood inside the lavish entrance to the Strand residence. "And there were no signs of forced entry."

"So this guy obviously was good, but even the good ones make mistakes. Start searching the house…" Warrick told him.

"Looking for?" Greg asked.

"What doesn't fit."

Greg slowly headed into a small room that adjoined the kitchen and started to look around. About ten minutes later his eyes rested on something that just didn't fit. "Warrick…I think I found something."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I think I found something thanks to you," Dr. Robbins exclaimed as he looked at Catherine with a perplexed look. "I think I found out how this thing was…well at least part of it was introduced…thankfully the suit was able to sustain most of the fire damage so the surrounding tissue on this forearms…"

"What is it?" Catherine interrupted.

"Look at the skin just under the abrasions," he said pulling back a piece of flesh just below the elbow and showing her the discolourations. "This area is infected the most and it has the same colour as…"

"As the organs and tissue in his mid-section. This is how it was introduced. He didn't ingest it then? And how did he…" Catherine started.

"Pick it up without anyone else getting infected? Now that is the multi-million dollar question," Dr. Robbins quipped.

"So he picked up the bug by a cut in his skin; on his elbow. It went directly into his blood stream and then headed for his chest cavity where it slowly started to kill him," Catherine pondered. "His doctor's files reported a mild case of heartburn."

"Which we found some trace residue of Tums to verify that," Robbins added.

"Then he was given the se…wait was this the first part or the second?" Catherine rushed to ask.

"I think this was the second. While the fire has distorted some of the surrounding tissue these skin abrasions aren't more than a few days old. He picked up part two within the last few days," Robbins told her. "My guess anyways."

"Good as any," she told him as she headed for the phone to tell Grissom. "We need to figure out the timeline for the first part and we might just be able to solve this case."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Dr. Marks? This is Detective Vartaan, Las Vegas PD. We came across a man who might have been a patient of yours. Harold Evans."

"Is he okay?" Dr. Marks rushed to ask.

"Not really. He's dead," Vartaan sighed. "I need to ask you a few questions and I really don't want to argue semantics of regulations with you about patient doctor confidentiality. If I need to I can get a court or…"

"I want to help. Harry was a friend of mine…we kept it secret but…please what do you need?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Here's his daughter's phone number," Sara said as she flipped through Harold Evans personal planner.

"Call her and see if she knew anything about her father's illness…or something like that," Nick suggested as he carefully studied the walls looking for the safe. "Let's hope they were close," Nick mumbled as Sara waited for the phone to pick up.

"H-hello?" Was the scared answer.

"Mary Evans?" Sara asked.

"Who's calling?"

"Sara Sidle from Las Vegas. I work with the crime lab and…"

"What happened?"

"Mary have you arranged to come to Las Vegas to…"

"Mary isn't here…she's missing…" was the answer that finally broke into tears.

"What? Mary's missing?" Sara asked in shock; making Nick instantly look up. "Please tell me what happened," she coached as Nick dialed Brass's number. "Brass is gonna be pissed," Nick cursed under his breath.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What?" Brass asked Nick as he looked at Grissom in dread.

"What?"

"Mary is missing. Nick, tell Sara to find out what she can and tell that girl that a police officer will be there to be with her and take her into protective custody," he said slamming the phone down. "She's missing."

"Maybe the stakes are higher than we thought," Grissom sighed. "Each member of the team has found something that…"

"That just makes Harry look more and more like a criminal!" Brass's angry voice shouted as he pushed himself up from his chair and headed for the coffee station. He felt a pain inside his chest and after dismissing it as stress downed another cup of coffee and finally headed back to a waiting Grissom.

"Maybe Harry had no choice," Grissom said looking at a picture of Mary Evans. "Maybe _he_ had some collateral."

"Collateral that would force a father to do anything for his child," Brass replied.

"We have to find her," Grissom stated. "I have already called the CSI team in New York. Where is Mary Evans? What if he has killed her already?" Grissom pondered out loud.

"Then he crossed the line and I will _kill _him. That's what Godfather's do right?" Brass uttered fatefully.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Damn them! They got to the second level!" The male voice shouted in anger as he stared at his small laptop. "How did this happen? They were supposed to stop…they don't care! NO ONE CARES! " He yelled again as he pushed himself away from the table and started to angrily pace the small enclosed space he lived in.

"I covered all my tracks like I was taught. I made sure that all the leads were taken care of…I made sure that…that…" he stopped in horrible realization. "Mary! Did something happen to Mary? She was supposed to be taken care of as well! DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF!" He yelled as he rushed for the phone.

"This is Mr. Deeter calling. Is my daughter Mary okay?"

"She is resting comfortably Mr. Deeter. We had to give her another treatment but our facility is equipped to deal with these kinds of things. Not to worry. She'll be ready for your visit in a few weeks," the kind female voice informed him as he hung up.

"Okay no one will ever find her in there! WHO TALKED! Why are they still probing…" he continued to vent, feeling his chest starting to restrict again. He rushed to take another set of brightly coloured pills, cursing names into the air as he downed them.

"I will find the leak," he vowed to himself. "And when I do…they will all die!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So Harold Evans came into contact with something that caused this virus to enter the bloodstream, make it's way into his system and then started to grow and multiply, slowing killing him until the second part was introduced by the way of an open cut on his arm and then sped up the process in a matter of a few days or hours," Catherine informed the group; later at a team meeting. "I saw the tissue surrounding the cut and it was the same colour and infection as the organ tissue. There is faint scaring on his throat and esophagus that would indicate he did ingest it but Dr. Robbins is now going back over the body to look for needle marks," Catherine finished.

"Greg found a small pool of blood on Dr. Strands desk in the back of his house that Hodges is testing now. We also found a hidden safe with this," he said showing the paper to Grissom. "He had been having pains and was tested but didn't live long enough to see the results."

"I'll get this rechecked," Grissom told Warrick.

"Well Nick and I talked to Mary Evans roommate, Shelly, who had apparently been given a lot of money from an unknown source telling her to take a vacation for her own good. She took the money and was about to leave when her mother got ill and she decided not to go. When she got back to her place a day later, Mary was missing and the place looked like a bomb shelter. Trace found blood and the results are being sent here to see if they match with the blood Greg found. Shelly is in protective custody and said that no one had threatened Mary in the last few weeks," Sara reported. "Just this odd note. Nothing more. This is a copy. I am having the original examined."

"Well I conducted all my interviews and basically they verify what the friendly Mr. White told me," guest Vartaan spoke up. "But when Albertson and I found a cross note to another doctor in DC and when I called him he told me something very interesting about Harold Evans. Apparently he had been suffering for a few weeks and Dr. Marks had already started the blood work. It is on its way over. Also this Dr. Marks knew Harry in a whole other way. Apparently Dr. Marks had a secret drug problem which as you know can be dangerous for a doctor and Harry was helping him get treatment from a higher source."

"But if those tests show he had some of the virus in him, then we might be able to put together a timeline," Catherine piped up.

"Put a rush on that," Grissom told Vartaan. "So we have blood that might be our killers, a missing daughter, a doctor on the other side of the nation with a secret helper and a man that apparently wasn't what he seemed. Easy," Grissom sighed. "Vartaan hook up with the New York squad and get their records so far on what's being done to find Mary Evans. Also I want…" Grissom tried only to be interrupted by Dr. Robbins rushing into the room. "I think I know how the 2nd part of the virus got into Harold Evans blood stream. But you might not believe this," Robbins told them.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Sir you okay?" Albertson asked Brass as he noticed the tense look on his face and the way he held his side in pain.

"Fine," Brass growled. "You let me know the minute they find something out on Mary."

"I will. But maybe you should…"

"I'll rest tomorrow," Brass snapped as he stomped away and into his office. He stared miserably at a picture of Mary in the same frame as a picture of his daughter. "Can't let it happen again," he whispered. "Not again."

Chloe noticed the strained look on Brass's face and handed him a cup of water. "You haven't been looking well these past few days. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Brass huffed lightly as he quickly downed the cup of water; trying to ignore the warning symptoms his body was displaying. "Just that when you have known someone for a very long time; were asked to be their child's godfather you think they…well that they won't get involved with something…illegal."

"Will find this guy," Chloe whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"I doubt you'd let your friend down," she smiled. "You haven't the rest of them yet."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So he cut his arm and leaned on a chair that was infected with the virus?" Catherine asked incredulously.

"Not possible," Nick piped up.

"Why not?" Grissom countered. "Virus's can live long…"

"But that means…" Warrick started. "This guy would have to have known he would cut his arm in the first place."

"He would have to work there in order to put it on the chair in the first place," Vartaan piped up.

"Very good. Nick, Sara get over to Diva Lounge and Warrick, Greg over to Melanie's. Now," Grissom directed. "Check those chairs."

"Please let it be Diva's," Vartaan quipped as they all got up to leave.

"Then he _was_ a direct target," Catherine pondered as she was left sitting with Grissom.

"We need this guy," he said leaning in closer to her. "We need him now."

"What can I do?"

"Work with Doctor in DC. Put a rush on the results from that sheet he gave us. There are elements on there I have never seen before. I want I now."

"Right," she said with a slight frown. "Do you think…"

"He has another target?" Grissom asked fatefully. "Trying not to but my guess is yes."

"What are you going to do?"

"Call my friend in the CIA," Grissom smiled.

"You have a friend in the CIA?" Catherine asked with a suspicious smile.

"Doesn't everyone?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"First you'll feel the burning pain that your friend Harry did, Mr. Police man," the voice mocked._

"Damn it," Brass cursed as he headed for a jar of heartburn pills.

_"You'll think it just a nasty case of heartburn," he laughed. "Wondering what the hell is really going on? But too busy to really think about it."_

"Chloe here is what I need you to do and fast!" Brass commanded.

"You okay boss? You look worse," Chloe commented.

"Fine," Brass lied. "Please?"

"Right."

_"But it will be too late before you start to wonder if you are infected and then when you find out you are – you'll be just as dead as Harry!"_

"Come on," Brass mumbled to himself as Chloe started her hacking. "Show me something."

_"Then there is you Mr. CSI," he said looking at a picture of Nick. "You'll wonder what is wrong as well."_

Nick felt the burning under his chin and then felt his body starting to slowly warm as he sat uncomfortably in the team meeting. Maybe I am allergic to something.

_"You'll foolishly try to reason on something…anything but the obvious."_

Maybe something I ate last night when I got home, he said inside. Maybe that old fish? Nick let out a sigh, drawing Sara's eyes to his immediately. Maybe her perfume. He let out a small chuckle, rubbed his neck once more and then when back to the meeting.

_"You too won't understand your situation until it's too late. But this time…this time you won't suffer like Mr. Brass will…this time you'll have company…oh I do hope we get along…" the voice laughed as it stared at a piece of paper with Nick's address on it and a time written in red. "Very soon…"_

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What is it?" Sara asked Nick after the team had been dismissed and sent back to their respective assignments.

"Just something about that note that was left on her bed."

"What?"

"You know when you heard me in the alleyway last night. When I called out?" Nick asked, to which Sara nodded her head yes. "Well he shouted I would help him…I promise…"

"That's kinda odd," Sara pondered. "And you didn't see his face?"

"No just a dark sedan," Nick frowned as he stared at her for a few more minutes.

"Maybe you should check it out," Sara suggested.

"I am sure it was nothing. Probably looking for cans and…and I am not going to worry about it," Nick replied as he wiped his neck a bit more.

"Rash still bugging you?"

"Yeah hasn't gone away today," he frowned. "Kinda warm too."

Sara reached up and gently touched his neck; looking up at him with a strange glance. "Nick your neck is very warm. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine. Maybe the beginning of a flue," he smiled. "Maybe your touch makes me hot," he teased.

Sara offered up an uneasy smile and stepped back. "Just put my mind at ease by saying you'll ask Vartaan about the car."

"I will," Nick replied; not giving it much serious thought. "Come on we have a restaurant to inspect."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So how did you sleep last night?" Greg asked Chloe as he waited for Warrick outside by the other CSI truck.

"Alone," she answered miserably.

"Same," Greg sighed. "Sorry. How are things there?"

"Well Brass looks like he's on his last legs," she lightly laughed. "And I am committing a serious crime. Other than that things are good," she smiled. "You?"

"We think we might have found how he got infected the second time but still working on the first. I need some alone time. Please…"

"Okay after your shift pick me up and we'll go some place special," Chloe told him.

"Where?"

"A surprise."

"Excellent," Greg responded with a large smile as Warrick finally caught up with him.

"Big date after work?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Dr. Marks," Catherine said into the phone. "You spoke yesterday to a Detective Vartaan. I am working the same case as him and need some more help. Got a minute?"

"Sure, just let me close the door."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey Rico, Vartaan in Vegas. I hear you are working the Mary Evans disappearance case. We might be working the same thing but at different angles. What do you have?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Chloe I need all those documents printed out," Brass told her with a slight gasp.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I will be when this is over."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Miller, Gil Grissom. I just sent over a document that contained…"

"I know I just got it. Gil where the hell did you get this?" The senior forensic doctor in DC asked in a hushed tone. A doctor that worked for the CIA.

"Seen it before?"

"Yes but you'll not believe where."

"I just might," Grissom responded. "Tell me everything you know about this."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So you sure you won't join me?" Nick asked Sara as they headed for Diva's.

"I would really love to but I really can't," Sara tried to sound upset but was following Catherine's advice to play a bit coy.

"Tomorrow? Or supper perhaps? Late night snack?" Nick asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow sounds great," Sara responded with enthusiasm; happy that Catherine was right; he did want to be with her another time alone.

"I wonder how he got it onto the chair without anyone noticing," Nick pondered.

"Well obviously he works there," Sara suggested as she stare blankly out the window.

"And obviously knew where Evans would sit. Unless it was random," Nick sighed. "But too many variables for that to work."

"Evans was a target but why? Grissom mentioned in passing something about a conspiracy to start a war between US and China. But that would mean that this guy would have to have some really powerful contacts. But a bus boy?"

"Unless…" Nick started.

"Unless what?"

"Unless the _bus boy_ was just a cover," he said looking at her with a sudden realization. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed Brass's number. "I think we might be looking in the wrong area. Check the CIA's database."

"Why?" Brass asked.

"About a year ago when I was home for Christmas, I remember my mom arguing with my dad about something with the CIA and how she was going to say no because it wasn't morally sound. I remember bits and Harry's name and a few others were involved," Nick told him in haste. "If this guy works at a restaurant as a bus boy or waiter or even cook for _real_ then he would in no way have contacts with access to this kind of virus…but…"

"But if he is undercover for the CIA and Evans _was_ a target and not just random then…then were are looking at a breach of national security and might all be in trouble," Brass sighed in pain. "Gotta go."

Nick hung up and looked at Sara with a worried glance.

"I don't like that look."

"I don't like where this is heading," Nick sighed. "We might all be targets if we get any closer."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well I hope my new guest will like his temporary dwelling," the voice smugly snided as he looked at a picture of Nick with a red cross through it. "Very soon Nick…soon you'll be here and then you'll know the meaning of betrayal! You all will!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"The CIA? Makes some sense," Grissom said to Brass as they sat in Brass's office later that night. "You okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Because you look like hell and are lightly sweating. You never sweat," Grissom countered.

"The stress of the case," he mentioned as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"You look like you are in pain as well. Eat out lately?"

"No," Brass snapped. "Don't even start down that path."

"What path? The path that we are now all traveling down since we decided to take on the US Government?"

"Funny," Brass responded dryly. "So what do we have?"

"I think we have a name. Good work Chloe," Grissom looked up just as the computer started beeping.

"At least it's something to start with. His name – Wallace Riker – is beside Harry's on a few of these documents and he's also the CIA operative who was put at point for this operation," Brass relayed to him.

"What is it called?" Grissom asked.

"Operation Death Strike," Brass replied. "Looks like it's living up to its name. So apparently there was a group, a small group, four it says that were enlisted to work with a special group of the Chinese People's Army to create a biological counter measure for a virus that the US had secretly been working on."

"So they were working together?" Grissom questioned to no one in particular.

"Working together but then one of them must have gotten greedy, betrayed the rest and…"

"What happened to the others?"

"Chloe cross reference these names," Brass instructed as he popped in another pill.

"Careful with those," Grissom warned.

"So if the others are dead like Harry," Brass started.

"Then the one left standing is our killer."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You want to see what?"

"The chair that Harold Evans sat in," Nick repeated. "Which one was it?"

"Oh I can't remember," White groaned.

"Fine we'll just close the restaurant and check them all," Sara piped up.

"We'll I'll check the seating plan," White snapped.

"Nice guy," Nick moaned.

They waited for about ten minutes and then White came back to them with a scowl on his face. "Well it seems there were some broken chairs and they are waiting to be destroyed."

"Where?" Nick and Sara asked at once.

"Out back. Apparently they were supposed to be picked up the morning after…well the _accident_ but the schedule was changed and they are still here. Now go…"

Nick and Sara rushed out the back and scanned the pile of half dozen chairs and a few broken tables.

"He was purposely sat on a chair that was going to be discarded," Sara mentioned.

"Target indeed," Nick replied as they got to work.

About an hour later as they both worked on the last two chairs; the others all dead ends; Nick looked up at Sara with a deep frown.

"I found something…at least I think I have," he uttered as he swabbed the whiteish residue almost unseen to the naked eye but not being able to cover itself from the infrared light Nick shone on it. "Let's go," he said bagging it and then they both rushed back to the truck and then to the lab.

"I told Hodges to be ready to put this at the top of his list," Nick said as he started to rub his neck again. "But I think he'll need help."

"Are you allergic to me?" Sara teased.

"Something," Nick sighed. "I tried that aftershave and I think it was a bit strong. I had thought it was food but this is the second day in a row so I threw it away. Warrick…" Nick said with a half smile. "Gotta get him back."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"May take a bit but I'll work on it through the night and morning if I have to," Hodges told them.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So they found the chair and are having Hodges look at it now," Grissom told Brass as he rubbed his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and warm," Brass replied with a heavy sigh.

"How much longer?" Grissom wondered.

"Well Chloe said she hit a lot of closed doors and had to take time to cover her tracks so I think it'll be a bit longer," Brass responded. "Why not head back to the lab and call it a night. Your shift is almost up. I'll call you when she finds something. I'm sure Catherine could use the company."

"You sure?"

"Just go," Brass directed. "I'll be fine," he lied.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You sure you can't join me?" Nick asked with a sad pout as he got ready to say goodbye to Sara at the end of their shift.

"I will tomorrow," she smiled as she leaned in close. After making sure they weren't being watched she tenderly kissed him on the cheek. "Tomorrow."

"Can't come soon enough," Nick smiled eagerly as he pulled her close to him; not really caring who was looking. He was about to kiss her full on the lips when they heard a car turning the corner and pulled away just as Grissom's CSI truck pulled into it's spot. He nodded to them as he walked past; but the moment was broken.

"I'll see you tonight," Sara told Nick.

"Not soon enough," he smiled as he gently squeezed her hand.

"Worth the wait?" Sara whispered.

"More than you know," Nick responded as he pulled her close once again and kissed her lightly on the lips; no saliva being exchanged. "See you later."

Sara tried to calm her rapidly beating heart as she watched Nick head for his truck and drive away. "Tomorrow can't some soon enough," she whispered happily; not realizing that tomorrow might never come for them.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"And now it's time," the voice snided as it watched the station house that housed Jim Brass. "Now it's time to pay."_

"Jim…you okay?" Chloe asked as she neared his desk.

"I uh…" he said standing up. "I'm just really tired…" he said with a slight gasp as he pushed himself up. "Just need…some…fresh…air…" were the last words before he collapsed on the floor in a gasping, sweating heap.

"Help me!" Chloe screamed. "I think he's having a heart attack!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

_"And now the second one…" the male voice said as it headed for Nick's place and waited outside. _

Nick parked his truck and headed for the front door to his place. He had failed to tell Sara that he had been running what he thought was a fever but since allergies didn't cause fevers like this he thought nothing of the gift from the stranger…the stranger who was now within striking distance.

Nick neared his front door and just as the key was about to turn into the lock he heard a noise from behind. Nick turned just in time to be struck in the temple with a heavy pipe. In a dazed state he lunged at his attacker and managed to get him snagged on the jagged railing.

"Damn you!" The male voice cursed as he struck Nick once more. Nick felt himself falling to the ground and his world fading to black.

"Sara…" were the last words that he uttered before he was dragged to a dark sedan, bound and taken away.

Dear readers! Thanks once again for the great support. I swear it's you guys that keep me going! Love you all and can't say how much I appreciate your time and the great reviews. Don't stop!


	6. Into the Belly of Hell

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 6 – Into the Belly of Hell**

**A/N:** Okay so I notice the reviews dropping off...I guess I should finish fast...

Sara's thoughts dwelt solely on Nick as she got into the shower and then climbed into bed. She stared at the phone; willing it to ring and hearing Nick's husky voice on the other end. In reality she could never have imagined the hell he'd find himself in.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick's head swam with dizzy pain as he tried to force himself back to reality. When he did it was more than painful; it was frightening. He tried to open his eyes but found a heavy cloth tied tightly around them and his mouth stuffed and cover with a heavy tape. He tried to move his body in any way and figured he was tied to a chair; the pressure starting to build on his bound arms and legs. He also felt the cool breeze and figured that he was only wearing his shorts and undershirt. He tried to yell out but was unable; a few minutes only rewarded him with ragged, dry gasps for which the gag was no help.

"Now…now…" a deep voice smugly taunted. "You'll never escape that way," it laughed as it neared Nick's captive body in the middle of the small dank room. "Nick Stokes right? I'll forgive if you don't shake my hand," he laughed.

Nick tried again to yell at his captor but that only got him another set of evil, taunting laughter.

"I am very happy for the company Nick. And I am sorry but I cannot allow you to see my face just yet. But trust me your stay here will be unforgettable," the voice taunted as it neared Nick's trapped body.

Nick felt the warm breath on his ear and tried to jerk his head away. Unfortunately his captor just grabbed him by the neck and pulled him painfully close. "I will make your life a living hell; just like you made mine."

Nick tried to argue but the effective gag made sure he kept quiet.

"Don't remember me do you? Not the voice? Not a very good CSI you are then," he laughed as he let Nick's neck go. "Don't worry you won't be the only one to suffer the same fate as Evans. There is another."

Nick's mind started to swim in a panicked state. Sara…that was the only one he worked with on the case and if he was a target, surely she was too. He was wrong.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What!" Greg half shouted into the phone as he stared at Warrick in horror as they were heading back to the lab as their shift neared its end.

"What is it?"

"Get Grissom, Chloe said they just rushed Brass to the hospital. He was having some sort of mild seizure."

"What?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So here is something interesting," Catherine told Grissom. "Dr. Marks said that he was at lunch with Harry and Harry had a mild seizure and was taken to the hospital. The diagnosis was over exhaustion and he was dismissed…end of story. Marks thought it was more and tested his blood just to be sure. When the results came back it had…"

"Stuff that even Miller couldn't believe because it's all still experimental and wasn't supposed to leave the CSI testing base before it could be properly tested and then destroyed," Grissom added.

"So Harry was on the team that was involved with the creation of this?"

"But probably didn't know it would turn on him. I doubt any of them thought it would turn on them," Grissom sighed as his phone rang. "Grissom…Warrick calm down…what happened? Brass what? On our way…they just rushed Jim to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"Mild seizure."

"Oh god."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you cold? I was going to turn the heat up but decided against it…probably wondering why I removed your clothes," the voice taunted. "I...oh silly me…I haven't introduced myself have I? Well you can call me…well at some point I'll let you speak and then you can call me Willard. I hate that name really. Course it might not be my real name but I'll let you think it is. So back to your clothes Nick…"

Nick in the meantime felt his limbs starting to feel the strain from the ropes tied tightly around them but found no relief when he tried to stretch his body. He tried to drown out his captor's voice but came alert when _Willard_ told him he was nearly naked because the virus worked faster that way.

"Oh yes…you have been infected…didn't suspect it did you…DID YOU!" Willard yelled at him, to which Nick shook his head no. "Because I am smarter than you…SMARTER THAN YOU ALL! And you will all PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!" He shouted as he punched Nick hard in the gut.

Nick felt his stomach instinctively cave but was held fast by the ropes and unable to shield himself against the next blow. It wasn't until the third and his ragged gasps through the thick gag the his evil captor finally stopped.

"I am not going to kill you Nick…too messy and old fashioned. I'll let my little bugs do that for me. You see you only have the first part in you. The first part only makes you sick and by starving the virus you can fight it off. It makes your body burn…hence the removal of most of your clothes. The first part is genius but not entirely lethal. But the second…" he moved in close and started to taunt Nick in his ear. "It's the second that kills you…shall I tell you more?"

Nick's mind raced with panic. He was a pawn or so he thought. He wasn't going to be tortured or used as a sex toy or something else sick like that but as a pawn in an evil game…he was sick…infected by a bug that slowly kills…if he were strong he was told he could fight it off. But if administered the second part…that would be game over. He just prayed that he would be found before that. But how? It would be a long time before the shift started and they would begin to look for him? But look where? Nick let out a angry yell into the gag, which just elicited another set of evil laughter from his captive.

"Yell all you want Nick," Willard taunted. "But time is against you. No one will save you BECAUSE NO ONE CARES! THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ME! AND THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What happened?" Grissom asked Chloe on the phone as he and Catherine rushed into the hospital.

"Brass had been complaining of small chest pains but thought it was just…"

"Heartburn?" Catherine offered.

"Brought on by mild stress?" Grissom offered.

"Yes," Chloe replied. "How did you know?"

"Bad guess," Grissom sighed. "What are they doing?"

"I think going to give him a mild sedative," Chloe guessed.

"But…" Catherine started, as she looked at Grissom in panic. "Your friend Miller at the CIA said that any kind of drug or antibiotic would spread this thing because it feeds it."

"Stop!" Grissom called out as he rushed into the ER and up to the doctors that were trying to treat Jim. "Don't give him any kind of sedative, medication or injection!" Grissom shouted as the needle neared Brass's arm.

"Why not? Who are you?" One of them asked. "What is he doing in here?"

"Is Dr. Adams here?" Catherine asked. "He knows us."

"We'll page him. What is going on?" The ER doctor asked. "Who are you people!"

"Tell Dr. Adams to call Dr. Marks," Grissom told Catherine. "He might be the only one who can save Jim's life. Gil Grissom, CSI, and you have something here that you don't want to deal with alone."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"By now you must feel the burning inside," Willard continued to torment Nick with his words. "Do you feel it?"

But all Nick could do was nod his head yes and continue to pray he would be found and tell himself to keep strong and focused. He couldn't give in to what his captor was saying about no one finding him or no one caring. Sara cared – he knew that. But when would she start to notice? How long could his body sustain the virus before he started feeling worse? And how was Sara faring if she indeed were the other one to be infected? But she wasn't showing any symptoms…unless…unless she just didn't tell him? His mind raced with a million questions…but none more so than who the hell had kidnapped him and was there something more at stake?

"You see they'll try to give your friend something…little to they know…did they all know that, that is what helps speed up the first part. That is why I didn't drug you. Sorry about your head. But I am guessing that no one on your team is smart enough to realize that. ARE THEY!" Willard yelled at Nick once more. "There is no cure for part one! NO CURE!"

No cure! Nick's mind swam immediately with panic. If there was no cure and he wasn't able to fight it off then he was dead. He felt himself starting to lightly panic and knew he had to calm his body down. But how? He tried to focus his mind on Sara, but kept thinking it was also her that was infected. If that was the case then why continue to fight? A future with Sara was worth it, but life without her? Then his captor changed his words and his mind changed back to being focused. But it was odd…what he said was very odd…

"You killed her! Her death was your fault!" He shouted as he punched Nick once more in the gut. Nick felt tiny beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead and lose themselves in the folds cloth over his eyes. He told himself he had to stay alert. His head was starting to throb again and his lungs were raw and his body on fire. Hell couldn't be much worse. Then to his relief his captor stopped his shouting and he heard frantic feet shuffling away and then he heard a bottle of pills being rattled. Why the pills? And who is _her?_

"You did this to me…" Willard taunted in a low tone as he stared evilly at a helpless Nick. "You will pay for what you did…all of you…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Thanks I'll call Nick and let him know," Sara said into the phone. She rubbed her tired eyes and stared at the clock. "I hate to wake him up but I know he'd want to know," she mumbled as she dialed Nick's number. She felt a sense of disappointment start to cover her and then her suspicious mind started to take over. "What if he had his _friend_ stay over? But he said there was no one. What if he was just saying that? Keeping us both hanging in case either of us decided not to continue with him?" Sara shook her head and then pushed herself to the edge of the bed. "He's probably just sleeping," she scolded herself. "I really need to get a grip. Maybe I'll wait a few minutes and try again," she said forcing herself into the kitchen for something to drink. "Probably sound asleep with good dreams," she sighed. "Like a kiss?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick's head started to throb even more as his captor continued his mindless conversation about who he was and how Nick wasn't going to be found. He wanted more than anything to at least be able to breathe normally or take a drink of water. He tried to ignore the fact that his body was on fire and that something inside of him was waging a terrible war with his immune system. He prayed he would be strong enough to survive. But would he? Sadly he feared the worst.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gil," Brass lightly gasped. "What is it? It's what Harry had right?"

"Jim we are…"

"Just tell me damn it!" He cursed and then coughed.

"Harry had the same seizure as you and was helped by a doctor in DC. Dr. Marks. Catherine is trying to get him to get here as fast as he can. He can help. I also spoke with Miller over at the CIA forensic lab in DC and he said that any kind of medication or drug or antibiotic will help this thing to grow and spread. He said only time will help to heal this. Dr. Marks tests on Harry confirm this. You have to sweat this out. You have to be strong."

"The pain…" he lightly gasped again.

"I'm sorry," Grissom said giving his friends hand a squeeze. "But we have to beat this thing. Now when did you first notice the symptoms?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Man talk about the duty," Greg sighed as he and Warrick headed for Brass's. "How did this guy know Jim was a friend of Harold Evans?"

"Well I am guessing he is not who he says he is," Warrick sighed. "I will be interested to see what Miller's team can come up with after Hodges preliminary findings of the virus remains Nick found on that chair."

"And I would be interested to see what match comes up from the blood found at Mary's and Evans. If they are both a match."

"Vartaan should be getting that report as we speak," Warrick sighed. "I hope this thing ends soon."

"Yeah who knows who's next."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Just got it now, thanks Rico," Vartaan said looking at the report before him. "Albertson get this over to Hodges. I have a few other things to wrap up…what?"

"Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"The commotion?"

"Yeah some prisoner…"

"It was Brass…he's in the hospital," the junior detective told his superior. "Looks pretty bad."

"Damn it!" Vartaan cursed. "Albertson get on that now!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Dr. Marks is on the first plane here. He has his reports and the ones you told Miller to get to him. He'll be here in a few hours. Think he'll last?" Catherine asked in a worried tone about Brass as she joined Grissom waiting just outside the ER.

"He better," Grissom sighed as he gestured for them to sit down. "Chloe is checking on the names of the team members. So far two of the team members died from an unusual illness. Same reports filed, same inward symptoms, but nothing pursued."

"Someone kept them from looking," Catherine guessed.

"Just like us at first," Grissom sighed.

"So what happened?"

"Doesn't say much, but one of them got greedy is my guess. Maybe they made a secret deal with the Chinese to make this virus and then when the US was going to destroy it because it was too volatile they wanted to profit from it. But the team knew of its existence and they had to be taken care of. So far Chloe said that the two male members who died had other ties to this project, just like Harry. They were only there as defense observers."

"Wrong place to observe," Catherine remarked in a dry tone. "But one of them must have survived to do all this. Who else could get their hands on the virus in each stage and then be sure to cover their tracks like they have so far?"

"Well I am guessing it's a two part team. I am guessing this guy is the delivery boy."

"But why Jim? He wasn't involved in this project like Harry. Why infect him? If he is even infected? I mean we might just be overacting?" Catherine suggested.

"Unless it was a personal hit. Maybe our hit man is a family member, son or husband or father to one of the ones that died and is now seeking retribution," Grissom pondered.

"But he would need help," Catherine added.

"Powerful help from the inside," Grissom sighed. "I just can't believe it's gotten this far. Why didn't the other teams continue looking?"

"Maybe they were told not to," Catherine replied.

"Now that is something that just might have happened," Grissom said with insight as he pulled out his phone. "Chloe I have something else for you to check."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"How is your _mom_ by the way?" Willard asked Nick.

What? Nick yelled inside. What have you done!

"Fine I take it. Haven't seen her in a while, but then again when I did it was only in passing. Pity," he said with a glum tone. "Miss your mom Nick? Ever long to just pick up the phone and talk to her? Anyone else here you care about? Good to have people you care about? But you're not married, and no family. No one care for you? Now that is sad."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Come on Nick pick up," Sara repeated as she redialled his number for a third time. "Maybe he didn't go home," she uttered in misery. She stared at the phone for a few more miserable seconds before deciding to go over to his place and make sure everything was okay. Her mind started to wonder about a few things and she couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. She guessed it was that he had someone else. She was wrong.

The drive over wasn't more of a comfort as she pondered different scenarios why he didn't answer the phone. The confidence she had on their growing relationship was starting to wane and she hated the helpless feeling of not being able to do something about it. She neared his place and noticed the truck still parked in its spot and nothing amiss.

"Maybe has company," she uttered in a morose tone. But she decided to stop anyways and tell him what happened. She owed him that much. If he did have company…well…"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," she sighed as she got out of her car and headed for his front door. She noticed a few leaves and broken branches at the bottom of the stairs and immediately felt a small panic starting to rise inside her. That panic grew even further when she knocked on the door and got nothing in response. Heading around to the back she pounded on the back door but got nothing in return.

"Nick!" She called out in a loud tone.

_Silence_

"Nick!" She tried once more.

_Silence_

This time she took off her shoe and broke the small pane of glass on the back door, opened the door and rushed inside. Everything was in tact. He hadn't been there.

"Nick!" She called out in a panicked voice, her heart starting to race a bit faster. When she got nothing she called Grissom.

"Nick's missing."

"What!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't see anything that he could have ingested out of the ordinary," Greg said as he and Warrick searched Brass's place for anything that might lead them in the direction of the killer. "What if it's not here?"

"Well Vartaan is checking his office but…I think it's here," Warrick frowned as he headed into another room. "We just need to keep searching."

"I can't believe this," Greg lightly moaned as he slumped down on a nearby chair.

"Hey man don't do this to me now. Don't fall apart on me here," Warrick told him.

"But he is a friend if he dies the way…the way Grissom said his friend Evans did then…"

"Greg, he'll be okay; Jim is strong and he will fight this."

"But what if there is no cure?"

"Grissom is looking after him. If anyone can save him, it is Grissom. Now let's find the evidence to convict that son of a bitch and we'll all be happy," Warrick told Greg as his phone rang. "What...what about Nick...could you repeat that..." Warrick asked as he looked at Greg in dread.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara watched in misery as they taped off Nick's place as a police scene. "I can't believe this..."

"This can't be happening," she mumbled in sorrow. "What if Brass hadn't gotten sick? Then I would never have come and…what if I had said yes to breakfast would…what if…" she rambled on in a frantic tone. "Nick I am so sorry. Where are you?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"How you feeling Nick?" Willard mocked. "A little warm? You feel warm," he said touching Nick's shoulder.

Nick tried to jerk his body away, but because he was securely bound to the chair, it was an impossible feat.

"Now that is not nice," Willard scolded. "Want something to drink?"

Nick furiously nodded his head yes and was thankful when he felt the tape being pulled from his lips and the thick cloth pulled from the inside of his mouth; allowing him to take his first real breath of air in what seemed like hours.

"Wh-why are you…doing…this…" he lightly gasped. "I didn't…"

"Yes you did. YOU ALL DID!" Willard yelled down at Nick.

"But I don't…know you…" Nick said in an angry loud voice, which just caused him to cough more.

"Save your strength Nick, that's the only thing that can save you from this thing," Willard taunted.

"You said there is no cure…" Nick huffed.

"Maybe I lied…about EVERYTHING!"

"Why me?" Nick begged weakly.

"Because if they get too close they'll need a _personal_ example to show them to stop. With your death that means my tracks are covered," Willard laughed.

"They _will_ find me," Nick warned.

"Oh I am sure they are good, but not that good," Willard snided. "They weren't good enough to save Harry or the others…"

"_Others_?" Nick asked in dread.

"Oh didn't I tell you? Harry wasn't the first," Willard bragged in a proud tone. "And this won't stop with _your_ death!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You don't look so hot," Brass mentioned to Grissom in a light raspy tone.

"Thanks," Grissom replied, offering up a weak smile.

"What's really wrong?" Brass asked.

Grissom thought about telling him about Nick but then knew if Brass had one other thing to worry about it could put him over the edge. "Just worried is alll," Grissom said in half truth; cursing himself inwardly for not telling his friend about Nick. But in truth he wasn't sure if Nick's disapearance was involved with Brass's condition or Harry's case for that matter. Vartaan was on it and he trusted the senior detective to get the job done. As much as it pained him he had to help Brass remain strong. "I told Warrick to bag the aftershave and the razor you cut your neck with. But you have to hang in there," he finally spoke up after a few minutes of silent thought.

"Very warm," Brass mumbled.

"I know," Grissom sighed. "I thought for sure the cold water would help," he frowned.

"You have to find him Gil, you can't let me go out like this," Brass lightly begged.

"Hey now listen to me," Grissom snapped in a light but firm tone. "You are not going anywhere if I can help it. This guy is not invincible and I am guessing not the perfect delivery boy he thinks he is. We'll find his flaw but you have to hang in there to see it happen."

"Gil I don't think I can."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Who are you?" Nick asked again.

"Someone who hates you."

"But I don't even know you," Nick countered with a slight gasp.

"Getting warmer?" Willard laughed. "Even if you say you aren't I know you are. I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE! I SAW IT HAPPEN!" Willard yelled at Nick.

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Nick yelled back; only making him cough and his lungs burn hotter. "I…don't…know you…" he finished between light breaths.

"You know the worst part of my mother having to listen to yours go on and on about how smart you were and what a great cop you'd be!" Willard shouted in an angry tone. "The fact that she wasn't able to agree! And for that I have hated you MY WHOLE LIFE!"

"But…" Nick started only have Willard slap him on the mouth and then stomp away. Nick's mind tried to think back to the time he might have met someone named Willard in passing but his memory failed to serve him the scenarios he was seeking. If Willard was lying then it was a good one…but if he was telling the truth…he tried not to think of that and tried instead to get his mind to focus on the one person that would help him get through this – Sara. He told himself it wasn't her and that she was waiting for him. "Help me Sara…" he begged weakly, his mind swimming with warmth and pain. "Please…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara's mind raced with panicked thoughts as she watched the other CSI team scurry around Nick's place, trying to find clues as to his disappearance. She had removed herself from the task because her mind was too clouded with panic. Vartaan had put his best detective in charge of the case and she knew they wouldn't stop until Nick was found. But when would that be? And where was he?

_'Anyone could be a target…I wonder if my mom knows anything…dark sedan…you will help me…I promise…' _Sara's thoughts played over and over again what things Nick had told her. "Anyone could be a target," she whispered in sorrow as her eyes started to water. "Nick…" she uttered in an almost inaudible tone to no one in particular. "I pray you are okay."

"Sara…we found blood," one of them called out; making her world stop. "Might be Nick's."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Is Willard your real name?" Nick asked in a quiet tone. He really didn't want anything more than to be free of his bonds and in the arms of Sara; but sadly he knew he had to keep his mind sharp and so finding anything out about his captor was the only way to do that; the only way to keep his mind occupied while his body tried to fight the raging virus inside his body.

"Don't you want to know when you are going to die!" Willard snapped. "Aren't you AFRAID!" He yelled angrily from across the room.

"No," Nick lied. "We all die sometime."

"She died too soon!"

"Who?" Nick asked softly; not wanting to provoke another attack on his trapped body.

"You are going to die you know," Willard taunted; knowing full well that if Nick was strong enough and not administered the second part he would stand a chance of survival.

"Is Willard your real name?" Nick tried again.

"NO!" Willard yelled. "You think everything is so black and white. Cut and dry. I don't have that luxury. I…"

"Who is she?" Nick tried. He listened in dread to the silence that followed; afraid that he had once again turned his on the edge captor into a raging maniac. But instead silence. He was afforded the time to try to slow his breathing and try think on other thoughts than his predicament to help his body fight and be strong. Unfortunately it was a short lived battle.

"You killed her…" Willard seethed under his breath. "YOU…KILLED…THEM…ALL!"

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked as he felt a heat surge in his body temperature. He felt his head start to swim with dizzy pain and knew his body was losing.

"Can you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"The taste of defeat? The sting of death! It's near…yours and your friends…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gil promise me something…" Brass said lightly to Grissom who was still by his bedside.

"You should be resting."

"Promise me you won't let me go out like Harry," he uttered with a clenched jaw and furrowed brow.

"What?" Grissom asked in shock; looking at his friend in disbelief. "Surely you can't ask me to…"

"I know what killed him…you told me. Gil I can't die like that. You have to promise me…when the time comes…do the deed…"

"Jim you can't be serious," Grissom tried to plead with his friend; knowing that if Jim gave up in side his body was doomed.

"I am…when the time comes…I want you to end it for me. Take my life Gil. Let me die in peace."

Dear readers! Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews! They mean so much to me I can't even tell you! Thanks again!


	7. Say Goodbye to Sanity

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 7 – Say Goodbye to Sanity**

"I can't believe this," Greg said in a mournful tone as they neared the lab. "Nick is missing…what if…"

"I can't even think of an answer for you man," Warrick huffed. "My mind keeps asking the same question…if it was the same guy then why Nick? I mean he didn't know Evans personally," he finished in a sad tone.

"I just can't believe the team is falling apart like this," Greg sighed.

"Me either," Warrick mentioned as he pulled the truck to a stop and they sat in silence for a few minutes until Greg spoke his thoughts.

"I don't think I'll be able to concentrate knowing Nick's missing," he confided in Warrick. "Brass was bad enough but…Warrick I don't think I can think straight if Nick's…"

"We have to for Nick's sake. The last thing he'd want is us falling apart and not trying to do our best to find him."

"I know," Greg responded. "But…"

"But we have to be strong," Warrick told Greg; mostly for the benefit of making himself believe it. His friend was missing – taken in the night by who and for what reason. The thought made him sick to his stomach but he knew inside that Nick needed them all to be strong. He owed him that; because he knew if the situation was in reverse the last thing he'd want is the team falling apart while trying and giving up or sitting around moping.

"So what do we do now?" Greg asked, brining Warrick back to reality. Warrick offered up a sigh as they both got out of the truck. Then he spoke.

"Greg you run the tests and I'll get finish the search that Catherine was conducting while she waits for that Doctor to arrive from DC," Warrick called out to Greg as they entered the now quiet lab. Warrick looked into the room normally occupied by a laughing Nick and Sara and felt his countenance fall.

"I know how you feel," Hodges said walking up to Warrick. "Too quiet. We need them all back."

"And fast," Warrick sighed. "What's up?"

"I just finished with the blood sample that you took from the Strand residence and then I compared it with the blood from Mary Evans dorm room. They are a match," Hodges told Warrick; holding up the result sheet for him to see.

"Thanks," Warrick said taking it from him.

"How's Brass?" Hodges asked in a rather soft tone.

"Trying to survive," Warrick replied in a glum tone. "I think that's all we can do for now."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Very interesting," Chloe mumbled to herself as she continued to search for the names that Grissom had given her. When she hit another dead end she leaned back in her chair and let out a heavy sigh. "What would Greg do?" She asked herself as she tried to think of a new way to search for their elusive hit man's identity. "He would…" she started as a sudden realization started to cover her. "Brilliant!" She finished with a broad smile. "Babe I owe ya one."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Grissom stared at Brass in disbelief; not wanting to answer the challenge his friend put before him. Finally he gave him the only answer he knew he could back.

"No," Grissom uttered in a quiet tone. "I…I could never go…"

"Please…" Brass half begged with a slight cough. "Gil my body is on fire and whatever the hell is in me is not going…"

"Don't say that," Grissom snapped. "Now I know you. You have been through hell and back and this bug isn't going to kill you. I want you to fight!"

Brass looked at him and offered up a small sigh. "Can I talk to Catherine?"

"No," Grissom responded in short. "I know you can fight this. Both Dr. Marks and Duncan Miller said that part one can be…"

"But what if I have both!" Brass retorted.

Grissom looked at him but for the next few seconds was unable to offer up a reply. In truth, he would ask the same of his friend if he indeed was infected with both parts and would have even the slightest chance of dying like Harold Evans.

"Please?" Brass implored once more.

"We don't know yet that you have both. We need Miller here to conduct the tests and…"

"Gil I feel like I am dying. I can't go on…"

"Yes you can. You tell yourself you are going to hang on and fight this bastard for as long as it takes!" Grissom told him in a firm tone.

Brass looked at him and knew now wasn't the time to keep pressing the issue. He didn't want to die, but when it came down to it, death was better than ending up like Harry.

"We will find this guy and we will beat this thing," Grissom mentioned in a controlled tone. "We just have to be strong."

"I don't know if I can do that," Brass huffed.

"Trust me Jim, if anyone can, it's you. And in the slightest chance that you need help I'll do it for both of us!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What are we not seeing?" Warrick mumbled to himself as Greg walked up to him.

"Hodges is almost…what is it?" Greg asked quickly.

"Something is wrong," Warrick huffed.

"What do you mean? Wrong with what?" Greg questioned.

"With this search. We are all looking for the obvious," Warrick started. "We need to be looking for something other than just deaths by unknown causes. I am willing to bet that the other deaths of the other team members Grissom told us about were filed with common names."

"But if someone were trying to cover their tracks then…" Greg started.

"Then why not hide it in plain sight. That way if we were to find…say…Johnson Myers, a team member who died of a heart attack but we didn't know he belonged to the same team as Harry…"

"Then we might just over look them altogether," Greg finished.

"And I think that's what the other teams did," Warrick frowned. "See…

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick tried to drown out his kidnappers voice with happy thoughts of Sara but all he could focus on was that he was living on borrowed time and if he didn't get help soon he would be dead. But what kind of help? Nothing could help Harry. What about him?

"I bet your mind is just in chaos right now," Willard spoke up in somewhat of a glum tone. "Minds tend to do that. Focus on things they shouldn't. Now really I ask you what the hell good will it do!" He finished with a half shout.

"Why?" Nick asked again.

"Because I could," Willard spat. "Because no one cared!"

"About what!"

"ABOUT ME! NO ONE CARED ABOUT ME!" Willard yelled in contempt.

"I don't even…"

"You are going to die!" Willard shouted as he stormed out of the main room and into another, leaving a mildly sweating Nick sitting trapped and wondering what his captor had planned for him next. His body temperature was continuing to rise and the room was now uncomfortably warm. His limbs ached from the tight ropes wrapped around them and he wanted more than anything to take something for his pounding head.

"Sara…" he whispered in torment. "Please Sara…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara stared miserably into space as she watched while one of the other CSI team's finished up with Nick's place. Apparently they had determined a scuffle had broken out and that someone had been injured because they found a spot of blood on a sharp railing edge. She watched them bag the evidence and then held it in her trembling hands, unable to move and take it to the lab to be inspected. It wasn't until someone said time was of an urgency did she finally snap back to reality and head back to see Warrick. Warrick and Greg had been told and he echoed the same heavy sigh she offered up when she first told them. Greg was ready for the sample and her car couldn't go fast enough. Walking into the lab was also something she didn't remember until she was handing Greg the sample and he gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"How can you be so optimistic?" She moaned to Greg as they headed for the lab.

"Ever work around Warrick?" He teased.

"I heard that," Warrick commented as she walked into the room. "How you holding up?"

"I'm not," Sara remarked in a dull tone. "I just can't believe…"

"Nick will be fine. He is strong and…"

"Warrick what if the same sicko who killed Harry and the others…now Brass…" her voice trailed off in sorrow as her eyes started to water.

"We don't know it's the same guy," Warrick uttered fatefully. "At least not yet.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey Vartaan you got a letter," one of the detectives said rushing up to the senior detective as he was heading out the door to the hospital. "Someone likes you," the junior officer teased.

"Yeah lucky me," Vartaan snided as he opened the white envelope. "Oh no…" were the only words to escape his lips as he rushed for his cruiser, en route to the hospital.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gil, Dr. Marks and Duncan just arrived and we are heading back to the hospital. Any word on Nick?" Catherine asked as she rushed herself and the new arrivals from DC outside and into a waiting police cruiser.

"No," Grissom sighed. "Vartaan is on his way over now. Apparently he found something that links Nick's disappearance with Brass's condition but said he'd tell me in person.

"Great," Catherine sighed. "How is Brass?"

"Not good…Catherine, he wants me to...well you know…"

"Pull the plug when the time is right?" She asked quickly.

"You know I can't," Grissom told her.

"Well then we all better pray it doesn't come to that," she told him.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Okay you can't fall apart on me either," Warrick lightly moaned as he watched Sara's lightly trembling body. "Greg is going to run the blood and then if it's not Nick's we'll have something to work with. We are having a team meeting in an hour at the hospital and hopefully we'll have some solid answers and some clues."

"Or this is going to be a really long night," Sara lamented. "And one I can't foresee with a happy ending. Think Brass is going to live?" She dared to ask.

"God I hope so," Warrick sighed. "Or none of us are safe."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I called Ellie," Grissom told Brass.

"Gil why? I can't let her see me like this," Brass moaned in light raspy tone.

"Jim if…she just needed to know," Grissom sighed.

"Wh-what did she say?"

"She was very quiet but…Jim she's doing better and…and I sent her a bus ticket to come here to see you…if she wants," Grissom offered.

"Is she?"

"She didn't tell me," Grissom replied in a saddened tone. "But knowing you she'll change her mind at the last second and pretend that it was what she had planned all along."

"I don't do that," Brass protested with a slight cough.

"You need to rest," Grissom said with a soft smile as he noticed Catherine gesturing to him through the glass doors. "Just rest and I'll be in the next room. Remember only you can beat this guy!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

**Team Meeting – Hospital Wing B – 2:00am**

They all sat around the table in morbid silence; no one really wanting to speak. Until someone did.

"I still can't believe Nick's missing," Sara mentioned in misery.

"Brass is dying," Catherine piped up.

"This guy won't win," Grissom said firmly. They all sat in silence for a few minutes, letting their anxiety start to get the best of them.

"We can't do this," Grissom told them. "This guy wants us all to fall apart at the seems and give up like the other teams have."

"But…" Sara started to protest.

"I am just was worried for Nick and Brass but…" he paused with a heavy sigh. "But if we give in now then we have just written off two very valuable members of our team. We have to continue. We have to be strong for both of them. Now I haven't told Brass about Nick because…because he doesn't need to think about that right now. Nick is strong and…"

"What if he is infected as well?" Sara questioned in a mournful tone.

"Then he'll have to hang on until we find him," Grissom responded. "I know he can do that. Can you?"

"Yes," she answered numbly."

"Now the note that Vartaan got tonight proves that both Brass and Nick are infected and by the same source…" Grissom's voice continued as Sara held the copy of the note in her hands and read the words with watery eyes.

_'How are your friends? I am sorry to hear they were friend's of Harry's but at least his death won't be the only one my bugs will be responsible for. And if revenge is a dish best served cold then my bugs will be prepared to feast!'_

"This guy gave us a clue," Grissom told the team. "Obviously they bugs perform better in the heat and so if Brass is kept warm and hopefully Nick's not…well if they are kept warm then they'll have a chance," Grissom sighed.

"My guys are checking the hand writing and two of them are working with Chloe to track down the other team members, so far they have been eluding us," Vartaan spoke up.

"But Greg and I were able to find them," Warrick said handing Vartaan a file. "They were filed under death by natural causes instead of unknown causes. Someone wanted them in plain sight because after searching for unknowns…"

"We would probably miss them the first time around and give up like the others," Grissom piped up. "Clever."

"And the blood at Nick's matches the blood found at the scene of the Strands and Mary Evans," Warrick continued. "So we know that all are connected."

"Albertson is working with a team in New York to track Mary Evans," Vartaan piped up. "We are hoping she's alive."

"I'm willing to bet she is," Grissom pondered out loud. "I think that in some sick way that he would want her around…after all even the best revenge killer needs bragging rights. I think he has her stashed someplace."

"And it probably wouldn't be some place that everyone would think to check," Sara added.

"We're on it," Vartaan answered.

"If this guy wants simple revenge then why not just take it?" Catherine questioned out loud. "Why all these games?"

"Because that would be too easy," Miller finally spoke up.

"What aren't you telling us?" Grissom asked directly; all eyes quickly turning to the CIA expert from the field office in DC.

Miller offered up a deep brow and looked at Dr. Marks beside him. "Gil there is something about your would be assassin that you won't find anywhere else," Miller started.

"Do you know who he is?"

"I do," Duncan Miller, veteran forensic detective with the CIA replied. "And I'm afraid you won't like it."

"At this point it doesn't matter. Tell us everything."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Brass felt his body starting to get warmer and warmer and wondered if he'd actually be able to go on just trying to resist something he knew would win in the end. He turned his eyes and cursed inwardly at the sight of the warm glass of water beside him but was told the only way to fight this thing was to make sure nothing cold got near the bugs; that would help them grow. But the heat was almost too much.

"Damn it!" He lightly cursed as he watched the water glass tip over. Offering up a heavy sigh he was about to press the button for the nurse when he saw a slight figure out of the corner of his eye standing in the doorway, but not moving.

"Ellie?" He asked weakly.

"Hi dad," was the soft whisper that reached his ears; the young girl still unable to move from the spot she was fixed.

"Is that really you?" Brass asked in disbelief as the young girl started to slowly walk toward him.

"Yes," she numbly replied as she neared his bed. "Are you okay?"

Brass looked at her and offered up a soft smile with a slight frown. "I am now."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick felt his body starting to get warmer and warmer and noticed the ropes that bound his arms were starting to loosen slightly as the sweat from his limbs started to run into the ropes. His head was still throbbing and his stomach was on fire but he was still alive and as long as he was alive he knew he had to fight and beat whatever it was was inside of him hoping he'd lose. He knew that to keep his body active his mind needed to stay active as well. And so he started to move his eyes around the room and study it as if he were working on a case. He was in fact, but not really the one he wanted to. He wished more than anything that Sara was with him; he knew her strength and determination wouldn't let him fail. In fact in was that very thought that have him the courage to keep going, even after his captor returned.

"Still awake?" Willard asked in dismay. "Well enjoy it while you can!" Willard spat.

"Why?"

"Why do you keep asking why!" Willard yelled. "Isn't revenge enough!"

"But revenge for what? You haven't told me your reason," Nick replied with a slight cough. His throat was dry and his lungs on fire. He wanted water more than anything but at this point was afraid to take anything into his body in fear of not knowing what else his captor would put into it. He needed to focus and stay alert.

"Do I need a reason?" Willard retorted.

"Revenge without a reason is a petty crime," Nick spat.

"And you would know, wouldn't you…_Mr. Hero of the world_!" Willard mocked. "Yeah well you don't look so tough now. In fact you didn't look that tough…"

"I never worked with you," Nick tried in a calm tone. "I would have remembered."

"Oh really!" Willard half yelled. "Really? Well did you remember NOT recommending me to the academy? Did you remember NOT recommending me to the observatory of the police unit!" Willard yelled.

"No because it wasn't personal!" Nick half yelled back, regretting the harsh words as soon as his lungs constricted and he started to cough once again.

"Well it was personal to me!" Willard yelled back as he rushed up to Nick in heated anger. "You didn't care about who you were just tossing aside! You just laughed at me like everyone else! You and your high nosed friends! Well they are all dead and you are next!" He finished; punching Nick once more in the gut.

Nick's body doubled forwards in pain and he let out a small cry but tried to just suck it back and not show his growing weariness to his evil captor.

"It…wasn't…personal…" Nick wheezed.

"None of you cared, did you!" Willard shouted loudly. "None of you wanted to look me in the eye and tell me to my face!"

"That's the way it is with everyone," Nick tried again.

"But I am not everyone! I had the credentials…I had the grades…the family influence…but NO…NO ONE wanted to see past…" Willard quickly stopped.

Nick hung on his last words, hoping Willard would slip and allow a clue to get past his angry words so that Nick could start to understand the reason for his hatred.

"No one forgets one mistake," Willard finally whispered. "I was sorry…I said I was sorry…I said it over and over again…" Willard chanted into the air. "BUT NO ONE LISTENED!" He yelled at Nick just as his body too started to lightly convulse. "No one cared…no one…" his voice trailed off as he ambled back into the kitchen and reached for his pills.

Nick started to study the man before him with growing realization. His brain trying to reach back into his memory to find anything that even matched the story this lunatic was telling.

"Remember now?" Came the taunting challenge from the kitchen.

Nick's eyes started to grow wider as he finally remembered at least part of the story. "Wallace Brimley?" Nick dared to ask.

Willard looked at him with an evil stare, a twisted smile starting to play across his lips. "Never liked that name really."

"Oh god…Wallace Brimley…" Nick repeated in slow tone.

"Well I guess your mind isn't mush just yet," Willard laughed. "What else do you remember?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Harold Evans was part of a group of four defence…shall we say…_observers_," Duncan Miller started. "That was asked to give _sanction_ to a new team that was going to develop a new biological agent to protect the US against warring nations."

"But the US isn't at war," Sara piped up.

"Future…" Miller rushed. "The team that was observing was Evans, two other democratic senators, one from DC and the other from Colorado. The fourth team member was a republican senator from Virginia. The team working with the CDC to develop…"

"So the CDC knew about this and sanctioned it?" Catherine asked in surprise.

"Well it was made at the behest of the US government…"

"But without it's knowledge?" Grissom offered. "Plausible deniability."

"Exactly. So a secret group with two members of the CDC and another group made of this team of ten that were involved in the project. As of today all but two are dead," Miller stated.

"What?" Warrick asked in surprise.

"Harold Evans, Dwayne Piper, Lori McCleod and Adam Seagrave. All of them were the senator observers. All of them, along with their wives are dead," Miller told them. "The two secret members of the CDC, Joanne Brimley and Ryan Hudo were murdered by…lets say unnatural causes."

"The bug," Catherine offered.

"Who are the other four?" Grissom dared to ask.

"The two members of the biological team were two Chinese scientists, Ming Wo and Ye Chin. The other two…are still alive…"

"And who are they?" Sara questioned.

"I think they are here with us," Grissom mentioned.

"I was involved on the CIA's end of it because as you know any biological agent needs our okay," he frowned. "And Dr. Marks was the point administrator."

"So how is it you managed to stay alive when the rest are dead?" Warrick wondered.

"And who the hell has Nick!" Sara spat; drawing cross stares but not caring.

"Wallace Brimley," Miller finally admitted.

"And who is he?"

"Brimley…any relation to…" Warrick started.

"Her son. You see Joanne Brimley is the one who spearheaded the project in the first place; the person we believed was the one to carry on the testing with the Chinese after the US had pulled its "formal" approval."

"Why was she so adamant in going ahead if she knew it could land her in trouble?" Catherine asked.

"Because she was paid very well to continue by the other side," Miller sighed. "Her son witnessed her betrayal, went along with it but you see…" Miller said with a blank stare as he turned to gaze at Grissom directly. "The CIA can't allow this kind of weapon to get into the wrong hands."

"So they turned against her and…" Grissom started.

"And she became a victim of the very thing she was trying to protect," Sara whispered.

"Ugly truth but…"

"She had to be taken care of?" Warrick ventured.

"There are national security implications…" Miller started.

"So now her son…" Catherine ventured.

"Has vowed his revenge on the members and their families because the US turned against her and she was…"

"Murdered," Grissom muttered under his breath.

"Look Gil we didn't know that Wallace would take it that personally and in fact we didn't know it was him until…" Miller started.

"Nick has this virus in him because you covered it up!" Sara spat in anger. "And he is dying just like Brass!"

"It wasn't me…"

"How do we help them?" Grissom asked directly.

Miller looked at Dr. Marks and frowned heavily. "I think you should tell them."

"Tell us what?" Sara asked in dread. "Can they be helped?" She finished weakly.

"I'm afraid…" Dr. Marks started.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you going to die?" Ellie asked directly as she gently sat down beside Brass on his bed side. She slightly flinched when Brass reached for her hand but after his assurance that she couldn't catch it that way she offered it willingly. "You're so warm," she mumbled softly.

"I think _hot_ is the term," Brass lightly remarked. "At least that's what I told that nurse over there."

"Are you…"

"No," Brass told her firmly; his zeal now for life just renewed upon seeing the pain in her eyes. "Funny the last time I almost lost you to some madman and now…now…" he huffed.

"You can't die," she lightly begged as her eyes started to water. "I just…I just got things back to normal and…and I was going to tell you…I went back to finish school," she offered with a light smile. "Your suggestion."

Brass smiled warmly at her and gently squeezed her hand. Ellie noticed the look of pain starting to cross his face and felt the pressure from his strong hand starting to crush hers.

"Help me…" she first said in a weak tone. But upon hearing him let out a cry in pain she called out in a louder tone; drawing quick attention from the nearby nursing staff.

"What is happening?" She cried out in a panic.

"Looks like a heart attack…call Dr. Marks!" One of the medics shouted, as Ellie stood by helplessly.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick suddenly felt his heart start to pick up in speed and his temperature start to surge in heat. "Wha…t…" was all he managed as his face clenched in pain. "Wh-what…is…hap…" he tried as his body started to shake and lightly convulse, his heart now racing.

"Just a sign…"

"O-of..w.h…what…" Nick tried as he gulped down hard and tried to keep himself from passing out.

"The beginning of the end," Willard mocked. "I guess I lied about the timing…sorry…"

"Sara……….." was the last word Nick uttered before his world faded to black.

Dear readers…just a bit more to go. I know you are all busy but it sure means a lot if you are able to leave a review/comment. Let's me know people are still liking it and wanting me to continue. Thanks again!


	8. Unseen Strength Unforsaken Love

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 8 – Unseen Strength – Unforsaken Love**

"So what was your involvement?" Grissom asked Dr. Marks.

"To monitor the effects on…well on…"

"On what?" Warrick asked directly.

"Gil we used a live test subject," Miller sighed.

"_Evans_?" Catherine asked in horror.

"No. I cannot release the name but…well lets just say that the test subject didn't survive. When Evans was infected he contacted his friend Dr. Marks but didn't tell him at first. But because Marks already had first hand knowledge of what to look for he continued to look after and treat the best he could Harold Evans without telling him that he knew."

"He lied to him," Grissom pointed out.

"Gil…" Miller tried.

"Evans died," Sara retorted. "You all failed."

"Sara…" Grissom warned. "But she's right. He…"

"Gil we didn't know until it was too late," Miller sighed. "We were in the middle of conducting the tests when…well when he came out here and…and took some heartburn medication. That sped up the process and…and here we all are."

"What _aren't _you telling us?" Grissom challenged. "Your story has _holes_."

"I can't tell you everything except to say that we were monitoring Brimley and lost him. We sort of suspected him after we found out all the other family members also mysteriously died and he wasn't anywhere to be found. But again we were too late. And then there is Mary Evans. She's the anomaly. And she…well she's…you see he had a crush on her and…so we think that she cou…"

"She could still be alive," Catherine guessed.

"We are hoping tha…" Miller started when an orderly rushed into the room with a red face.

"Didn't anyone hear the page…" he panted.

"No. What's wrong?" Grissom asked quickly.

"Mr. Brass is having a heart attack! Dr. Marks he needs you now!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Just as Nick thought his world was coming to an end forever, his body felt another surge of energy; from where, even Nick didn't know, but it forced Nick back to his sad reality, and thankfully back to life.

"Still alive?" Willard asked in a dull tone as Nick gasped for air and begged for water. "Pity," was all the answer he received.

"Pl-ple…ease…" Nick lightly begged. "Water…" he tried, not caring anymore about what his captor might put in it.

"Cold?" Willard mocked. "Are you sure you want to take that chance?"

"Y-yes…" Nick humbly admitted. "Please…" he lightly gasped once more as his chest started to ache and his body lightly tremble. "Wh-what was that…"

"Just a warning. I said that already Nick!" Willard's voice turned angry. "Don't ask again! Why is it people can't learn the first time. I mean I said that…"

"Give me a break…" Nick managed in a wakened tone.

"Give you a break?" Willard mocked. "GIVE YOU A BREAK!" He now shouted. "Did anyone give me a break! Did anyone give my mother a break! She died because of you! I HATE YOU!" Willard shouted as he flung the warm water in Nick's face and stormed out of the room, cursing as he slammed the door shut behind him. Nick greedily sucked the water from around his lips and mouth and cursed the fact he wasn't able to get free and escape his demented captor. But the more he sat and pondered the more his brain started to play highlights of the almost forgotten story of Wallace Brimley. A man that no one had given a break to his entire life.

_'That strange Brimley woman was asking about the family again. Mostly about you and what you do,' Nick's mom told him after another long day at work._

_'Is that strange?' Nick asked over the phone._

_'I think she likes to compare you to her son which isn't good for any parent to do. Builds resentment in their child,' his mother sighed. 'I do wish you were here. It's better if I can brag about you when you are around, not a million miles away.'_

_'I promise I'll visit soon,' Nick told her. 'What are you working on now? You sound really stressed out?'_

_'Top secret government documents. Not really sure of who all is involved but I am guessing that Ms. Brimely has her hands in it. God forbid. I just don't trust her.'_

_'Why is that?'_

_'Women's intuition. Something is very wrong with that woman. And her son.' _

Nick sighed as he thought about the fact that after that conversation he didn't give the Brimley's much thought but then at the time there was no need. He lightly cursed and then closed his eyes in pain as he felt another small attack starting to over take him.

"Sara…help me…" Nick managed with a raspy tone. "Please…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Ellie asked Grissom in a small weak voice clinging to his arm, as they stood by helplessly and let Dr. Marks try to help Brass work through an attack similar to what Nick was experiencing.

"I hope so," Grissom whispered. "We need him…all of us…" he replied as he gently squeezed her hand. "But if anyone has enough fight in them to win this battle, it's Jim."

Sara heard Grissom's words and then turned to Catherine with a mournful expression. "I keep hearing Nick calling my name in agony and then cursing it because I can't help him."

"Nick will be fine," Catherine tried.

"What if he had to…" Sara started as she turned and looked at the group gathered around Brass. "What if he…I mean Brass has help and Nick…god Catherine he's all alone," she turned back as a single tear escaped her eye and slowly slid down her warm cheek. "He's got no one to help him survive."

"He has you," Catherine assured her, taking her hand and squeezing it. "He needs you to be strong and help find this Wallace person."

"When I do I'm really going to kick his ass!" Sara vowed, making Catherine lightly smile. "Do you think it's true? I mean all that Miller told us…you think he's leaving anything out?"

"He's CIA…of course he's leaving something out," Catherine remarked in a dry tone. "But he sent Vartaan in the right direction for Mary Evans with new info and Warrick is helping to track Brimley here and…and we just have to pray we put an end to this and fast."

"But what if Nick can't hold on…the voice…I hear him…I do…in my head…he's in such agony and pain and…Catherine he's suffering alone," Sara lightly sobbed. "It's my fault…"

"What?" Catherine asked in surprise. "Sara…it's no…"

"I turned him down for breakfast…if I hadn't then…then he'd be here right now," Sara finished in a dead whisper.

"Or you'd be dead and Nick captured or both of you. Nick needs your strength now; just like Jim needs all of us to be strong for him."

"But Nick isn't here to…"

"You know I believe…I really do believe that when two people have a _connection_…shall we say…that they can help each other to be strong, survive even overcome certain obstacles that they normally couldn't do on their own, just by their own mental power and inner strength."

"Really?" Sara questioned Catherine. "You really believe that?"

"I do. And I'm sure that wherever Nick is right now if you concentrated hard enough you could help him. Do it Sara…you need to for both of you."

"I can try," she whispered with a kind smile. She left Catherine to be with Grissom and look after Brass as she slowly wandered away in search of a place to be alone. She found the chapel to be unoccupied and so took the seat in the far corner and leaning her head against the wall closed her eyes.

"Nick…" she uttered in an almost inaudible tone. "Nick please hear my voice…" she begged in anguish. "Please…hear me…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick's mind swam with dizzy pain once more as he tried to focus his thoughts on Sara and the times they spent together, even just working on a case, to help drown out the evil taunts of his captor. He felt his body offer up another surge of pain and clenched his fists until his nails dug tiny bloody rivets into the soft fleshy part of his sweaty palms. Just as he felt his world fading to black once more, Sara's voice pulled his mind back to reality.

"Sara…" he whispered in a raspy whisper. "Help…me…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

And as if some unseen force snapped her eyes open automatically, Sara half expected to see Nick sitting beside her. "Nick," she breathed in shock. "It was…so real…" she lightly gasped. "Nick…please hear me…"

"I'm sure he does," the pastor said walking into the small room. "If you believe in something with enough faith it will come true."

"I lost my faith when I was young and…and I'm a bigger sceptic than a realist," Sara offered up to the kind man with a frown. "A friend," she paused. "A good friend…"

"He's in pain?"

"He could be dying," she whimpered, finally pulling herself together and wiping the tears from her eyes as he neared.

"Have you said a prayer for him?"

"I am not sure what to do or say right now," Sara frowned. "I…you see we…I never got the chance to…" she tried but failed, the tears starting to come. "It's my fault," she whispered in torment.

"Pain and suffering are not…"

"You don't understand," Sara snapped. "I left him…said no…turned him away and he…" she tried but her voice caught in her throat, unable to finish. "I just never…I am not good at expressing myself when it comes to how I really feel about someone," she moaned as she turned away in misery.

"Try," he said patting her arm as he stood up to attend to another couple that walked in. "Remember if you really care for him then nothing can harm that. It's the strongest bond there is."

"But what if he doesn't know how I feel?" She asked weakly.

"He will," he smiled kindly. "I'm sure you'll see to that."

"What if I don't have that chance?" She inquired in desperation.

"I have found, in my experience, that if you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to get it."

Sara let those words play upon her brain as she leaned back against the wall thought of Nick once more. Her mind continued to play imagined images of Nick in pain, having a heart attack like Brass and dying before she got a chance to explore a life with the one man she knew she loved deep inside. "Nick…please hold on…I _will _find you," she promised in a hushed tone. "Please…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick's mind too continued to play images of Sara in pain, he not knowing who the other target was. He had tried to ask once but all he got in return was a loud yell. The not knowing was slowly driving him to mental anguish but he had to believe that Sara's voice that he heard was that of strength and hope and not pain and death.

Nick opened his watery eyes once more and tried to focus on what Willard was doing, anything to keep his body from trying to give in to the pain he was forced to endure. He kept hearing Sara's comforting words inside his head telling him to hold on; promising him she'll find him and soon. I should have told her how I felt…he lamented inside. Should have…but as soon as he started to dwell on the sad thoughts his body started to lightly falter and he knew he had to stay sharp and hopeful so that he could have even a slim chance at being with her once more. But then something happened…Willard was listening…and that was bad.

"Who's Sara?" Was the frightening that snapped Nick out of his dream like trance. "Do you care for her?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"He's coming out of it," Dr. Marks called out to an impatient group a few feet away.

"Good work doc," one of the young ER medics told Marks.

"Nothing to it," he smiled. "Sometimes all you need is right in front of you."

Grissom heard Ellie offer up a small sigh and looked over at Catherine. "I am going to help Warrick and Miller. Will you stay with her?"

"I would be happy to," Catherine agreed. "Thought of something?"

"I think so," Grissom replied with a half smile, half frown. "Call me if anything happens," he called out as he rushed for the entrance.

"What happened?" Dr. Marks asked as he walked up to Catherine.

"I should ask you the same thing," she retorted. "Is he okay?" She asked more for Ellie's sake than hers.

"He will be for now," Dr. Marks sighed. "We saw the same thing with…but he hasn't been given the second part so if he continues to fight then…"

"How long?" Ellie inquired in a mournful tone.

"Different with each…"

"Each?" Catherine caught him.

"Only one human the rest were…anyways it's hard to say. This is only the first full day of exposure and usually it takes a few days for a human body to fight off a normal virus…with this…he will be fine. He's in good health, well relatively," Dr. Marks smirked. "Liver could use some help," he lightly offered, making the two women in front of him smile. "Ellie why don't you go and see him, give the poor nurses a break from his bad come on lines."

Catherine watched the girl leave and then turned back to the doctor with a grim expression. "What's wrong?"

"His body is having a hard time fighting it off. It's like he doesn't believe…it might sound strange but…he just needs to be strong. We are keeping all medication and anything that resembles a cold temperature away. The body temperature needs to rise to a certain heat level and then the virus will start to die. We are slowly raising the temperature with heaters but don't expect anything miraculous to happen in the next few hours."

"Oh I still believe in miracles," Catherine told him in a small tone. "For Sara's sake I have to," she finished in a dead whisper.

"Your other friend that is infected…tell me about him," Dr. Marks requested.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Brass offered up a small laugh as he watched Ellie slowly walking towards him with an uneasy expression. He knew it was hard for her because no one had answers. In truth it was harder for him, the not knowing what was going to happen next, but he knew inside he had to be strong for her sake.

"Hey," he mumbled as she came and sat down beside him once again.

"They don't know how to…"

"Dr. Marks said it's not fatal," Brass lightly heaved. "That's a good thing, right?"

Ellie offered up a forced nod and a small smile. She stared at the monitors for a few minutes and then down at the heater. "Are you scared?" She asked softly.

Brass looked at her in mild surprise. She rarely engaged him in a deep conversation or asked how he felt on things and cursed the fact that it was in this situation that it was happening. But he knew, no matter what, he had to make the best of it.

"A little," he started. "But not of dying."

"Why not? I am," she quickly retorted.

"Death is a part of life," he answered.

"What are you scared of then?" She questioned in uncertainty.

"The not knowing if I could have done something to stop it," he huffed. "This thing…whatever this guy created is one hell of a bug and…I am going to be fine," he finished in a firm tone, noting her eyes growing heavier with tears as each second ticked slowly by. He reached for her hand and when received it squeezed with whatever strength he had to offer. "_We_ will beat this thing."

"We?" She asked with a watery smile.

"Well I can't lose with a team like this, now can I? Besides I want to see this guy and tell him he failed," Brass stated firmly. "He'll not take me just yet and I'll not go out like this."

Ellie heard the determination in his voice and gave a bigger smile. "You are so warm," she finally commented.

"I think the word these days is _hot_," he teased, making Ellie lightly laugh and a nurse standing nearby roll her eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick heard the question and knew if he told the truth, Brimley might target her next, if she wasn't already. But the way he asked…was Sara already infected?

"Who's Sara!" Willard demanded.

"She's my…my angel…my strength."

"Pardon?"

"When I was young and my mom told me that I had…"

"I really don't want to hear about your childhood!" Willard spat. "I thought she was a girlfriend or something," he snided under his breath.

"No chance of that," Nick rebutted.

"Why are you gay?" Willard retorted.

"No. I just haven't had time to…" Nick started with a slight cough. His lungs were still on fire and no matter how he shifted his body, the ropes continued to cut into his warm flesh. "Any chance of loosening…"

"You should make time," Willard interrupted. "And no…stop asking something annoying. Water…answers…freedom!" Willard continued. "Why can't you just accept that you are going to die! WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT FATE!"

"I can't!" Nick shouted back, coughing again, praying inside for Sara's voice to help him remain calm and focused.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara's mind continued to play tormented scenarios of Nick's demise and her feeling guilty forever for turning him away. But as she thought more about the current situation, she knew inside she wasn't really to blame, it was just the way things turned out. Nick didn't believe in fate and now was the time for her not to either.

_'Do you believe in fate?' Sara had asked Nick some time back._

_'No,' Nick replied._

_'Why not? Don't you believe that something very powerful has a say in our lives?' She challenged._

_'Well I believe in powerful forces at work in our lives, but I don't believe that anyone controls my life but me. I'll not hand my life over to fate without a fight.'_

_'But how do you explain things that just…'_

_'Just happen? I believe if you want something enough you'll get it.'_

Sara's eyes flew open as she dwelt on the same expression she had heard earlier from the kind pastor, who now was no where to be found.

"Nick…" she stated with determination. "I'll not lose you to fate. I don't believe it has control…I do…" and with those strong words she finally pulled herself from her morbid stupor, determined to help him in any way she could. Her heart and mind were at peace for a moment and she prayed that perhaps Nick would be as well. "I'll find you Nick…I promise."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Need any help?" Greg asked Chloe as he sat down beside her.

"Hey babe what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be…"

"Brass just had another attack," Greg sighed. "Ellie is there with him now and Hodges is finishing his tests…there really is nothing and…I just needed a break you know," he lightly sniffed. "They still can't find Nick and…man I just needed a break. Chloe I am ready to fall apart."

"Greg look at me," she directed, taking his hand and holding if firmly in hers. "You are strong. You have told me things that…that I could never have dealt with as well as you…bodies and…and stuff…Greg you are strong. This case…I mean I am worried to about Brass and…and look now I am getting weepy and I don't get weepy!" She lightly teased. "This will all work out."

"How can you be so sure?" Greg questioned.

"Well that's what you always tell me whenever I am about to fall apart," she smiled.

"Right," he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "Chloe…I love you," he whispered. "I just had to tell you because I…I just did."

She kissed him back, beaming from ear to ear as she leaned in and whispered the same words back. "You are my life Greg. Now help me save the lives of our friends."

"What can I do?" He asked eagerly.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So how do you really kill this thing?" Catherine asked with a frown. When all she got in return was silence she stared at Dr. Marks with determination. "How! You can't can you? It can't be killed? That's why the US wanted it destroyed because the antidote didn't work? Am I right?"

"Yes," Dr. Marks replied in a soft tone. "Sorry."

"So what does this mean for our friends? And I won't accept death as an answer!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Grissom rushed into the lab and right up to the desk that Warrick and Miller were working.

"What happened?" Warrick asked quickly, noticing the look on Grissom's face.

"Nothing," Grissom answered. "Any luck?"

"Still cross checking all Brimley's dealings out here to see if we could find a place that Wallace could be hiding," Miller answered.

"Well I have an idea that I have been thinking about," he said looking at Miller. "You said that Vartaan finished his interrogations and found nothing out of the ordinary."

"But we aren't looking for an ordinary person," Miller concluded.

"Let's see those reports," Grissom said reaching for them. "Wait a sec…no Wallace but we do have a Willard who worked…"

"Willard? Like the movie?" Warrick laughed. "Now that is funny because our guy is kinda like…"

"Did you say _Willard?_" Miller asked in half dread, interrupting Warrick.

"Yes. Why the look? Does it mean something?" Warrick dared to wonder.

"Where does he live?" Miller rushed.

"Vartaan talked to him and found nothing out of order…" Warrick started.

"But he didn't have Nick at the time," Grissom reminded them. "What does the name mean?"

"Gil we have no time," Miller told him.

"Why what does it mean!" Grissom snapped.

"Remember the movie _Willard_…the man who was outcast by society, except one woman, and who befriended the rats…his little pets…his little friends…he called them."

"So?" Warrick asked.

"Ms. Brimley used to say how much her son loved the movie Willard and how _Wallace_ teased her about bringing home the little pets…his little friends…" Miller concluded as he grabbed the phone. "I need Vartaan now!" Miller shouted as Grissom and Warrick looked at each other in dread. "Nick…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't believe in fate!" Nick shot back, lightly coughing as he did. "I am in control of my life!"

"ARE YOU SURE!" Willard shouted back. "I was in control of my life as well and then they took it from me…forced me into something I had no control over!" He finished as he rushed back into his small room. He hurried back out and stared at Nick with intense hatred. He held up a small vial with a lightish orange liquid in it.

"Do you believe in fate now?" Willard mocked. "I do! And so do my little pets...my friends…DO YOU BELIEVE NOW!"

"Oh…God…" Nick offered up in horror.

"Say hello to part two Nick. Your time just ran out. Fate has won…"

Dear readers…just a bit more to go…thanks so much for all the great and encouraging reviews…keep them coming b/c I love writing this story for you all!


	9. The Fall of the House of Death

**Title: Insatiable Appetite for Death  
****Chapter 9 – The Fall of the House of Death**

**A/N:** okay so since the reviews dropped so drastically for chapter 8 I am going to assume that very few liked it and am going to end the story with this one (kinda discouraging for me). I might add more later (mostly the N/S stuff) but hope you all like it as it. sigh Thanks again to all who did review throughout…it really makes my hard work worth the effort.

"Sara, what's wrong?" Catherine asked as she noticed Sara walking up to them and then her face change to that of pain.

"It's Nick…" she whispered. "He's…" she looked away and then back at Catherine with a terrified expression. "He's going to die."

"What? How do you know?" Catherine dared to question.

"I don't know," she uttered in uncertainty. "But I just…Catherine I just feel it…something's very wrong with Nick…we might be too late!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick eyed the vial in horror and immediately felt his heart start to race fast once again. "No…" he breathed in horror.

"Oh yes," Willard smiled. "Still refuse to believe in fate? Well it believes in you," Willard laughed. "You see there is no one smart enough to put together who I really am…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well I need Vartaan now…okay then give me…" Miller continued.

"Didn't Greg head over to see Chloe?" Warrick asked.

"Give me the phone," Grissom snapped, snatching the handle away from Miller. "I need to speak to Chloe Frost."

"Hey Grissom…"

"Chloe I need you and Greg to check something for us right now and trust me we have no time to spare!"

"What do you need?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why the hell didn't we think of this earlier?" Miller lamented as they waited for the Chloe to give them the address.

"Maybe it was too simple," Grissom offered. "You CIA guys are always looking for the spectacular."

"Who was suspect at first?" Warrick asked as they waited for the address to come up.

"We suspected the Chinese because had seen it's effects first hand and as we all know any country is always looking for a military leg up on the other, especially if they oppose the US in any way in a military capacity," Miller sighed. "Brimley was…"

"How did his mother die?" Grissom asked.

"She was infected first," Miller answered pointedly.

"What?" Both Grissom and Warrick asked at once. "And you didn't suspect Wallace before…"

"We were keeping an eye on him but not as close as I guess we should have. Wallace has always had a bit of an inferiority complex when it came to others…his…age…" he stopped in mid thought. "How old is Nick?"

"Why?"

"You think that if Nick is the same age as…" Warrick started.

"Well Nick's mother worked on a few of the legal documents that Brimley was involved with," Miller stated.

"And if Wallace met Nick before and was made to feel he could never measure up…" Warrick continued.

"When we just found the motive to take out Nick," Grissom finished as Chloe's voice came over the phone. "What do you have?"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"If your friend is as healthy as Catherine tells me then he should be fine until we find him," Dr. Marks tried to reassure Sara and Catherine. "That is if he hasn't been infected with part two."

"How long? How long…I mean if he hasn't been…well I have to believe he hasn't been…how long?" Sara asked.

"How long before part one is gone?" Dr. Marks asked with a frown, receiving a nod from both women. "We don't know. If the body does kill off the bulk of the host virus then there is no chance it will…"

"You mean there is a chance the body can't fight it all off?" Sara half shouted in horror. She looked at Catherine and then back at Dr. Marks in hatred. "If Nick dies I will kill you." And with that she turned on her heel and rushed out of the ER, leaving both Catherine and the man beside her with open mouths.

Sara rushed back into the chapel, it was quiet once again and to her seat in the corner. "Nick you can't die…not so soon…not until…" she lightly weeped, cursing herself inside for losing her temper so easily with Dr. Marks. It wasn't his fault really, but in truth there wasn't anyone else around to blame. "Nick…" she whispered once more. "Please let me find you in time…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You know this virus really is amazing. I mean when a body feels as warm as I'm sure yours does right now, then the first thing to do is cool it down. But you see the bugs thrive in the cold and…"

"Someone will stop you," Nick lightly promised.

"They are all DEAD!" Willard spat. "I made sure that no one…"

"All of them?" Nick questioned. "Even Mary Evans?" He asked, doing anything to stall for time and throw the subject away from his own suffering.

"You know nothing of Mary!" Willard retorted.

"I know she's not dead," Nick lied, not really knowing if Mary was indeed alive or dead.

"You're lying," Willard answered back with a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Her roommate…the one paid to take a holiday…she didn't go…" Nick continued. With each word his lungs paid the price by breathing in stale air and forcing them to burn because of lack of moisture. But Nick knew that to keep himself sane he had to try something…anything in hopes the team would find him. And while brain gave his words mouth to speak his heart prayed in earnest that Sara would be able to find him.

"You know nothing!" Willard half shouted, his temper easily getting the best of him once again.

"I know you'll fail," Nick said directly. "Even if I die you will be stopped."

"They'll never find me," Willard snided. "You see even if they are smart enough to put together the fact that I was the one that did all this…where will they look? My fake address?" Willard laughed. "They'd never think to look here! I WIN!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Sir I repeat again, this place is empty!" Albertson said into the phone, Miller, Grissom and Warrick listening via speaker phone on the other end.

"Well search that place from top to bottom detective," Miller directed. "We need something!"

"Damn it!" Warrick cursed. "So close to finding Nick."

"We will find him," Grissom promised.

"Gil so many have died already. How do you know you'll find him in time?" Miller questioned.

"Because I don't give up!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well they found nothing," Greg lamented. "Can't believe this."

"Does he have a girlfriend or wife or something?" Chloe asked.

"No. He likes…we has someone that he's interested in…but trust me she knows," Greg huffed. "I just can't…" he mumbled as he leaned in closer to the screen. "We have to be missing something," he sighed.

"Why? Maybe this guy is just gone?" Chloe questioned.

"Grissom won't give up. I know it. We need to look beyond the obvious and…" he said looking at her with dawning realization.

"What?" Chloe dared to ask. "What is that look?"

"How soon can you get me back to the lab? I just thought of something!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I can't blame her," Dr. Marks told Catherine as they slowly walked down a hall back towards the ER. "I felt the same when the first victim…"

"But all the victims had been given part two right? So there is a chance that…"

"They will be strong enough to fight off the host virus? Yes there is a small chance that…"

"We only need a small chance," Catherine assured him. "We just need to find Nick."

Sara slowly headed in their direction, her expression that of determination and not misery.

"What is it?" Catherine asked quickly. "Find something we didn't?"

"No. I just know now that I need to be strong for Nick and that when this is all over I am not going to wait to tell him how I feel," she replied and then looked at Dr. Marks. "I am sorry about what I said earlier…I…well usually I am calm and…"

"I forgive you," Dr. Marks smiled. "I know it's not personal."

"Someone is making this personal," Catherine sighed. "What kind of man is Wallace Brimley?"

"A very odd man."

"Odd?"

"Yes all the way around. Even his feet," Marks chuckled.

"What did you say? What about his feet?" Sara rushed.

"Why? What is it?"

"When Nick and I were at the restaurant I passed by a pair of waiters slip on's…you know the ones they wear in the kitchen when it's greasy to keep them from slipping? I noticed they were two different sizes and one was oddly shaped."

"Yes Wallace has one foot that is bigger and more square and…"

"I paid it no heed but…" she said grabbing her phone and racing for the door. "I have to find those shoes!"

"I'm coming with you!" Catherine said loudly. "Keep Brass safe," she called out to Marks as they both disappeared through the doors.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick just stared at Willard and knew there really was nothing else to say. The Mary Evans topic obviously struck a bad nerve in Willard and he feared it could drive him to just inject Nick and be done with it. But as each minute ticked slowly by, Nick found himself giving in more and more to the virus raging inside his body. His skin he surmised would be hot to the touch, his head was throbbing, his lungs and throat on fire and his whole body felt at any minute like it wanted to explode from inside. Time, he knew was running out. He tried to force his watery eyes to focus on something other than the madman in front of him; but as Willard kept hold of that vial in his hand he couldn't do anything but concentrate on him. Even when he tried to think of Sara, his mind now kept flashing him images of her in pain and Willard just standing by watching and laughing.

"What are you thinking about right now?" Willard questioned Nick in an angry tone. "WHAT!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"What can I get you?" Ellie asked Brass as she shifted uncomfortably in a nearby chair.

"My release papers?" He lightly laughed. "I just wish it wasn't so damn hot in here."

"I know," Ellie lightly moaned as she fidgeted with her fingers. "When will that be? Does that guy know?"

"You mean me?" Dr. Marks asked walking up to them.

Ellie gulped her words back and instead offered up a meek nod.

"That's okay, I have heard worse. From Sara I believe," he smiled.

"Sara?" Brass frowned. "Nice to know she cares about me that way," he teased.

"And Nick too I guess," Dr. Marks replied, letting it slip about Nick.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I'm sure he's having just as hard…a…time…" he slowed his words as he noticed the look of anger starting to deepen on Brass's usually calm face. "Wasn't I supposed to tell?"

"Tell me what? What happened to Nick?" He demanded in dread and fury. "You better not tell me he's infected with this as well!"

"I wish I could but…"

"Where the hell is he!" Brass half shouted, his lungs starting to constrict and make him cough.

"Please calm down," Dr. Marks pleaded.

"Where is he!" Brass shouted.

"We don't know," was the doctor's timid reply. "But as Sara and Catherine ran out of here I heard them say they were close."

"You better pray we are or there will be hell to pay!" Brass spat and then finally lay back down, his heart racing and his body temperature high once again.

"This day better end soon," Dr. Marks whispered to himself as he ordered another blood test to be taken from Brass. "Very soon."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Warrick continued to go over the files while Grissom and Miller went to verbally duke it out in another room.

"Why the hell are you keeping key information from us!" Grissom demanded in anger, drawing a few curious looks from passers-by.

"Gil you know the day I took the CIA oath that I wouldn't be able to disclose to you all the things I am involved with."

"This case involves not just two team members but also two friends! They could die at any moment but…"

"Brass hasn't been given…"

"I don't care who has been given what or when! What aren't you telling me! I know something is missing because you government types always leave something out. And it's usually your trump! You always think you have one better over the rest of us _civilians_. Think that you are so…so…untouchable!"

Miller let out a long sigh and turned and walked over to a small window, staring miserably into the night. "You know the day I swore the oath to protect this country against all forms of attack and on any level she left me…"

"What? What are you talking about?" Grissom questioned. "Maggie?"

"That day…the day I swore to leave my normal life behind. I had already convinced myself that I was making this sacrifice for the greater good. Told myself that I didn't need to start a family because I wouldn't want to put them in harms way," he continued, his eyes gazing into the night lights in the distance. "You do a few jobs and all seems well. You save the US from the brink of disaster and although you know you'll never get credit or have your name mentioned in any way you tell yourself you are doing this for the greater good. Then you come home one day to an empty house and realize that it was all for naught. My life…my _real_ life ended the day she walked out of it…"

"Duncan I had no idea that…"

"You tell yourself that work is so important and that you can fix anything because…you know sometimes I don't even know why the hell I am even trying so hard," he huffed.

"Where is Maggie?" Grissom asked in a softer tone.

"She was at her mother's at first. Then I think she moved into her own place. Said she needed time," Miller said turning to Grissom with a smile looked more like a sneer. "Time…I hate that word now. Always the race against time…well time isn't on our side Gil. Not ever."

"You can't mean that," Grissom told him firmly. "I know you. You don't fall apart this easily over not…"

"Nothing? Maggie was the reason I did anything in my life! Before she left I…"

"Get her back," Grissom suggested.

Miller looked at him in surprise. "You are giving me advice to save my marriage?"

"Ironic isn't it?" Grissom lightly laughed.

"Strange is more like it," Miller smiled back. "But trust me I have tried…I just don't…you know I thought it was over the day the doctor told Maggie she could never give birth. She always wanted a family. Especially a daughter to call her mom. Never got that. I could never give her the one thing she really wanted. And now…now I'm losing it all again."

"I don't believe that and neither do you," Grissom told him. "Now pull yourself back together!"

"Gil, that detective went to the place your man should have been…I swear to you on a stack of Bibles I have no idea where they could be."

"But I might have an idea," Greg stated as he and Chloe rushed into the small room. "Where is Hodges?"

"Why? What did you find?"

"Hopefully Nick," Greg responded eagerly.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Not you people again," Cedric White moaned as Sara and Catherine rushed up to the still snobby host.

"Yeah well Vartaan sends his regards," Sara smiled. "I need to see a pair of cover up shoes that belong to Wallace Brimley," she told him.

"Like I know where he keeps…"

"I do," one of the other waiters piped up. "And if you see him, tell him he owes me fifty bucks," he laughed.

"Where are they?" Sara half begged.

"Come with me."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Yes I am looking for Mary Evans," Vartaan repeated to the receptionist. "Yes I'll hold."

"Why would he put her in a mental hospital?" One of the other detectives asked.

"With this weirdo anything is possible I am finding out."

"But sir we have called ten hospitals in the greater DC already with no results. Maybe Mr. Miller's data is old?" The young man suggested.

"Well we are not leaving this desk until all these have been called and we locate Mary Ev…" Vartaan finished mid-sentence.

"What is it?"

"We have been looking for Mary Evans…but he wouldn't put her under Evans."

"Think he'd use Brimley?"

"No that would be too obvious," Vartaan sighed. "We have been going about this the wrong way. Okay we need to call all those numbers and ask for a girl name Mary or one that was just put in recently that fits her description. Get on it man," Vartaan barked as the receptionist came back on the line. "No I'm sorry I'm looking for…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Answer me!" Willard shouted at Nick.

"Why do you want to know?" Nick retorted, his body once again feeling a heat surge, coupled with intense pain.

"I want to know if you are thinking of death!"

"No, I am thinking about what happened to Mary Evans," Nick calmly replied.

Willard looked at him with a frown. "What? Why aren't you thinking about yourself?"

"Because I want to know why you didn't kill her like you did the rest? I am at least assuming that you killed them all," Nick lightly wheezed. "Am I wrong? Did you spare her life?"

Willard stared in silence at Nick before he started to slowly pace in front of him. With his back turned, it afforded Nick the opportunity to slowly work at turning his arms and loosening the ropes that held him captive to the chair.

"Mary's special," Willard started in a low tone.

'Tell me why?" Nick asked in a soft tone, gulping back another burst of pain and trying very hard to keep himself awake and alert.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Greg's right," Hodges smirked. "The other substance matched the test results from the CIA results. It's a chemical compound made of Lye, Arsenic and a few other household poisons."

"Used for what?"

"How about killing rats?" Sara offered as she rushed into the lab with Catherine in tow. "We found the slip-on's that belonged to Willard Deeter. They were purchased at Charlie's Supply Shop."

"I'm guessing it also sells Rat Poison," Grissom ventured. "We're heading there now," Grissom said looking at Miller. "Come on and make that badge useful," he told him lightly. "The rest of you get ready to go and find Nick when we call with the address."

Sara closed her eyes and offered up a small prayer inside, earnestly begging they would find Nick alive and well.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Grissom?" He answered his phone, rushing to after Miller outside and into the truck. "Jim what? Who told you? Marks? Well he's right…"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Brass barked angrily.

"Because the last thing you needed to worry about was someone else," Grissom told him plainly. "Jim you need to pull through this with Ellie by your side. We have a solid lead on Nick and like I said from the beginning we will get this guy."

"I want a piece of him Gil, you owe me that much," Brass reminded him firmly.

"Miller is in charge. I believe his arrest will fall under the direction of the CIA," Grissom replied, looking at Miller. "What he does with Brimley is…"

"He'll get a piece of him Gil," Miller assured him. "I promise you all will."

"You'll get your chance. Now just rest."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Mary…Mary is the only one who was ever kind to me! Not like you were!" Willard shouted.

"What did she do that was so special?" Nick asked, fighting the urge to give into the pain in his body.

"She…she never judged me," his voice faltered slightly as he turned his back to Nick and slowly walked over to a small table. "She…she was kind to me."

"How?"

"She…she's gone now," Willard told Nick in remorse.

"Is she dead?" Nick asked in a low tone.

"Almost," Willard lightly sobbed. "Just like we will be very soon."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Sir I don't have a Mary Evans but about three weeks ago a Mary Deeter was admitted into our hospital by her father."

"What does she look like?" Vartaan rushed to find out. After finding out that she matched the same description as Mary Evans he continued. "Now about her father," Vartaan started. "I am faxing over a picture of him now. Tell me when you get it if it's the same man. How is she?"

"She's due for another treatment?"

"What kind?" Vartaan dared to ask.

"Electro-shock…" the receptionist told him.

"What? By who's orders?" Vartaan's angry voice boomed.

"Her father. He said that…"

"Did you get the picture?"

"Yes."

"Is that the man that admitted Mary Deeter?" Vartaan demanded.

"Yes," was the nervous reply.

"Now you listen to me. That young woman was kidnapped by a man calling himself Deeter. She is being held there against her will. Her real parents were murdered and…"

"Sir this is just…"

"Look DC police are on their way over now. When they get there…" Vartaan's voice rattled off as Albertson picked up the phone and dialled Grissom. "We found Mary Evans and she's alive. We're getting her now."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Grissom and Miller rushed into Charlie's Supply Shop, while Sara nervously waited with the rest of the team, slowly pacing a small spot in the corner of the lab, continually praying that Nick was still alive and that they weren't too late.

"Nick…" she whispered so no one else would hear. "We are coming…please be alive…please hang on…"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick could feel his body starting to falter once again, not helping him was the fact that he now believed that Willard didn't care what happened to him and that he too wanted to die. What was stopping him? His brain now started to show terrible images of Sara in pain, Willard laughing and him breathing his last breath of air, cursing the day he started with CSI. He tried to shake the terrible images from his over-exhausted brain but the closer Willard loomed with the vial of death the more his mind gripped his being with fear.

"They will not find you in time," Willard promised.

"Aren't you missing from work?" Nick wondered. "They'll have checked."

"And if they do all that pesky Vartaan found was my old address. No one will be smart enough to trace me here!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Willard Deeter," Grissom repeated to the store clerk.

"Look I don't think that I am allowed to…"

"Then I am placing you under arrest for deliberately blocking a federal investigation," Miller spoke up.

"On who's authority?" The clerk sneered.

"The President of the United States," Miller retorted, flashing his CIA identification. "Think you're in serious trouble? You will be?"

"What do you need?" The man finally huffed.

"The _real_ address for Willard Deeter. We have already been to 34 Walnut Drive. I want to know where he…"

"Fine," he said slowly heading into the back to get what they needed.

"Nice touch," Grissom smiled.

"Hey it's gotta be good for something right? Just hope your man can hold on."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I hate this waiting," Sara moaned as she dug the set of truck keys further into the fleshy part of her palm.

"We all do," Warrick added. "But if we start driving we could end up further than where we want to be and put Nick in even more danger."

"I know," she huffed. "I just hate it."

"I can't imagine what Nick feels," Greg half whispered. "If he's even…" his voice trailed off in sorrow.

"That's it…" Sara barked angrily as she stormed out of the room and headed outside.

"Good going genius," Warrick remarked in sarcasm.

"She won't go far," Catherine said going after Sara.

"I can't do it…I just can't wait for nothing!" Sara angrily spat as Catherine caught up to her outside. "What if Nick is dead?"

"Then we had better find the guy who killed him and make sure he didn't die in vain," Catherine replied.

Sara looked at her in surprise.

"What? Not what you wanted to hear?" Catherine lightly smiled. "We _will_ find him."

"How do you know?"

"Because Grissom will never fail Nick," Catherine promised as her cell phone rang. "He just couldn't do that to any team member. Did you find the address?" Catherine asked Grissom in an eager tone. "We're on our way."

Sara didn't even wait for the instructions and rushed for the truck and had it started by the time Catherine jumped in.

"Hold on Nick…" she said with a half sigh of relief. "We are coming."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"They found Nick!" Warrick told the waiting group. He, Greg and Chloe rushed from the room, leaving the other lab members to wonder if they'd find the other senior CSI member alive or dead.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"They found the address," Marks said rushing up to Ellie and Brass.

"Let's pray Nick's still alive," Brass huffed.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"They'll know were you are…you made a mistake," Nick told Willard in a firm tone. "You couldn't have done that many murders and not made a mistake!"

"I DIDN'T MURDER THEM!" Willard shouted.

"Yes you did," Nick replied, his lungs constricting and forcing him to cough heavily.

"I had to show them…show them the error of their ways," Willard replied, his voice slightly lowering.

"Like you showed Mary Evans…like you showed…who else did you infect here? WHO!" Nick shouted. "I need to know!"

"Jim Brass!" Willard finally confessed.

"What? Why?"

"Because he was friends with Evans and Mary's godfather. If anyone would want revenge it would have been him," Willard confessed in hatred. "But I showed him…made him pay! Just like you!"

"But I did nothing to you," Nick spat angrily. He could feel his body starting to weaken but at the same time so were the ropes from his pulling. He had to continue to try or face the ugly consequence of death. It was now or never.

"I have hated you all my life! In Texas and then…then when I saw you in the alley way I knew…"

"I was never…" Nick tried, puling whatever strength he had left inside him against the ropes to loosen them further.

"You were never my friend!" Willard shouted in anger, the vial still clutched in his hand. "Now you have to pay!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"We have to make it," Sara repeated over and over to Catherine, her heart rate matching the speed with which she was pushing the truck.

"We will," Catherine tried to tell her, praying they would arrive safe and in time.

"Please Nick…just hold on."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Nick watched in horror as Willard raced back to the small table and slowly drained all the contents of the vial into a needle. He felt one last surge of adrenaline pump through his veins and started to yank at the ropes with everything he had left inside. Finally he felt the ropes around his legs loosen enough for him to get one free.

Willard turned with the needle in his hand.

Nick continued to pull, sweat pouring from his bloodied brow, stinging his eyes and making dirty pools down into the folds of his undershirt.

"Now Mr. Stokes…it's time to die…" Willard taunted as he took a step closer.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"We're almost there," Grissom told himself.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Nick you have to hold on…" Sara echoed in fear.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You will never win!" Nick shouted as he finally pulled an arm free and continued to strain to loosen the other. He didn't care that the ropes had cut into his tender flesh, the closer Willard came with the needle the more time he lost in saving his life.

"I HATE YOU!" Willard shouted as he charged Nick.

Nick watched in horror as Willard started to rush towards him, the needle ready to be inserted. Nick pulled his arm free and tried to gather whatever strength he had left in him to keep Willard at bay long enough to free himself.

As Willard neared, he failed to notice Nick's leg freeing itself rapidly and then coming up and catching him in his own calf, making him stumble. Nick felt his own leg buckle because of his weakness but knew inside he had to keep trying to keep Willard back.

Willard pushed himself to his knees and just lunged at Nick, catching him in his mid-section and making the chair crash backwards onto the floor; leaving the two men on top of it in a sweaty pile of flailing arms and legs. Nick felt his side almost give way when Willard punched him hard. But Nick was able to land a blow to Willard's side and then felt himself scrambling to get his other arm free of the sweaty ropes. But just as he felt himself making progress, Willard punched him again in the side and after the third hit to the same spot Nick heard the distinct crack of his ribs starting to falter.

The end was near.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"I see the place!" Sara half shouted to Catherine, the distinct glow of red and blue also closing in, sirens filling up the usually still night air.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"They…are…coming…" Nick half panted; his words a reaction to what he was hearing outside. He watched as Willard; now filled with violent rage raised the needle and tried to plunge it into his arm. But it missed the soft flesh and hit the padding of the chair he was still half attached to. Nick tried to kick at Willard once again and felt himself sustain another hit to his gut, this time the wind knocked from him and his body starting to constrict from lack of air.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Remember we want him alive!" Miller said into the two-way radio to the other emerging police cars.

"What?" Grissom asked quickly as he pushed the truck into position behind Sara's; who's was now empty.

"He's ours to deal with Gil. Just get your man and leave us ours."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara pushed herself out of the truck and raced, gun in hand towards the front steps of the shack that Wallace Brimely was dwelling in.

"Nick!" She shouted.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's…over…" Nick panted as his body sustained another blow. He heard Sara's voice and knew she would get to him in time. Or at least he prayed she would do so.

Willard, however, also heard the shouting and yanked a piece of Nick's sweaty t-shirt and stuffed it into his mouth and tried to wrestle his arm free long enough to plunge the needle in. Nick tried to grab at Willard's arm but with his strength failing every second, he wasn't sure he would survive the next few seconds.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Sara felt herself slamming her full body weight into the door and pushing it open, despite the pain she would feel later when it was all over. She watched in horror as Willard raised the needle and plunged it into what she was certain was Nick's forearm. However, Nick felt the needle just skim his skin, as he moved his arm in time and plunge the deadly contents into the chair behind him. He was safe!

"Nick!" Sara shouted as she fired off a shot that caught Willard in the arm, pulling him painfully back from Nick's battered body. Sara rushed to Nick just as the room behind her filled with cops and the rest of the CSI team.

"Nick…" Sara lightly cried as she eyed the sight of his battered body.

"Sara…" Nick croaked.

"Are you okay?" She rushed, frantically trying to free him of the chair.

"I am now," he said finally giving into the darkness, and collapsing in her arms.

"Nick!" Sara called out as she watched him go limp in her arms. She frantically felt for a pulse and when she was rewarded with one, gathered him up into her arms and held him close until the medics came and took him to the hospital to rest beside Brass.

Willard was taken into custody by Duncan Miller of the CIA and a lab technician was able to gather the last of the vial contents and given to Dr. Marks who had it carefully stowed for his trip back to DC. Mary Evans was released from the hospital and adopted gratefully by a newly reunited Duncan and Debbie Miller; who are now helping her to cope with her loss.

A few days later both Brass and Nick showed vast signs of improvement and were well on their way to recovery. Ellie returned to school with the promise to come and spend at least two weekends with a man she knew she needed in her life. Brass did get his chance to meet Wallace Brimley before he was taken back to DC and landed a hearty punch to his jaw; oddly enough not one of the police escorts was able to recall that event when later questioned about the bruises on Brimley's face.

Brass took sometime off; leaving Vartaan in charge and Nick earned himself a week off to recover and Sara took vacation at the same time to help him.

Things were back to normal.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"You think Brimley will get the chair?" Catherine asked Grissom a few days later as they sat in his office finishing the paperwork of the case that nearly cost them.

"I doubt Miller will let it go that far," Grissom said just as a courier walked into his office. "Special delivery from the CIA," the young man said, making them raise their brows in surprised looks.

"Thank you card?" Catherine guessed with a smile as Grissom opened the envelope.

"Early Christmas present," Grissom laughed as he showed Catherine a copy of a newspaper from DC. The headline reading: **_Young man charged in the high profile killings of members of a special government team mysteriously dies from unknown causes in his jail cell. _**

"Right," Catherine murmured. "They take care of their own?"

"They have the right to," Grissom replied.

"Comforting," she lightly sighed.

"Want to have coffee?" Grissom suddenly asked.

"Right now?"

"Well if this case has taught me anything, it's no time like the present," he retorted.

"Love to," she smiled.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Can't believe I almost lost you," Sara lightly mentioned as she sat in Nick's embrace; both of them tucked away in a small cabin not far from the city of Las Vegas.

"Man I know it was scary," Nick huffed. "When he first told me someone was infected…Sara I thought it was you. I mean I could feel pain and…and then…then I heard your voice. Telling me to be strong and hold on and never give up. I knew you'd find me no matter what."

"I'm glad I did in time," she smiled. "Almost lost you though."

"But not quite," he said looking at her directly, a warm smile starting to grow across his face. "Sara there is something I need to tell you and…" he mentioned moving in closer, his heart starting to pick up speed a little.

"Nick…I just need to tell you this first," she interrupted.

"What is it?" He half asked in dread; fearing their last few days of drawing closer together were about to be drowned.

"When you were…I mean when he h…Nick…I...there was a priest and he said…well he…man I suck at this," she lightly laughed.

"Sara I love you," Nick blurted out.

"Y-you do?" Sara asked in happy surprise, her face starting to beam even more. "Really?"

"Yes," Nick told her firmly. "I know it's early for us but I don't care if…"

"I love you too," she early told him.

"You do?" He echoed her response.

"More and more every day. I just was too scared and stupid to admit it and…when I almost lost you I knew…in my heart I knew and…and I knew if I waited any longer then…"

"The moment might pass and we might never tell each other how we felt," Nick finished.

"Exactly," Nick answered warmly. "I do love you Sara…and I don't care what happens in the future as long as we are together."

"That's good enough for me," she replied firmly, feeling her body drawing closer to his every second; feeling the wanting hunger growing for him inside. "Make love to me Nick."

"Are you sure? Because if you aren't ready…"

"I am and I want you…and I don't need anything else."

Nick wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer, his lips starting to hungrily devours hers, his body inviting hers to do the same.

And as they started to consummate their love, serenity started to wash over them both; wrapping them in it's endless arms and making sure they got the love they both needed and deserved. And the future would be theirs to share together; they both earned it and proved it was worth more than anything they thought they were afraid to embrace. The future was theirs to share together; but tonight…tonight it would have to wait.


End file.
